Reclaiming His Humanity
by ByAGhost
Summary: Being an experiment always meant being a failure, and that's what she was. Half-Spartan, half-ODST, she belonged to neither side. But along the way, people enter her life, unconsciously making her realize that she did belong somewhere. Becoming introduced to the Spartan-family was the best thing that happened, besides literally crashing into Master Chief on one of her missions.
1. Chapter 1 - The Cost

**Reclaiming His Humanity**

Alright, my first Halo fanfiction! I'm siked, what about you? Anyway, just a couple of things I want to mention before you start reading. This story plays out after the Halo 4 ending, and most of it is canonical when parts of the game is mentioned. But after the events of Halo 4, it's going to be AU. And just to be clear, the Spartan-family, those being Kelly, Fred and Linda, are going to be part of this story. Cool, right? I'm soon done, I promise. This story isn't a romance between Cortana and Master Chief, for those that are confused. It's about an OC and the Chief, which I think the summary states. Although Cortana has a role, trust me. I can't just _not_ mention our litte blue BFF chick, now can I.

Anyway, this story is also unBETAd, so if there are any mistakes, I take blame! And don't forget, I'd love to hear your opinion of it, if it sounds interesting or not, I appriciate anything!

 **And the disclaimer:** _I don't own anything from Halo, 343 Industries and Bungie and all of them people have the credits that are due._

"Words" is conversation, _italics_ is to emphasize a word, and _'Words'_ are thoughts, with those little singular signs : ' '.

Now on with the story! (Finally, right?)

* * *

 **Chapter One – _The Cost_**

In the vastness of space, UNSC _Forward Unto Dawn_ floated endlessly without a destination route. The former ship of the UNSC no longer held the glory it once had - its hull and inside decorations scattered throughout the black canvas of emptiness, also called space. Light flickering of lights was the only sign that the ship still had some of its electric circuits working, and were the only signs of it containing _some_ sort of life, despite it only deriving from synthetic origin.

However, the massive form of _Forward Unto Dawn_ still had few of its secrets confined, regardless of the amount of time passed, none of which were stored on the still functioning hard drive servers or in the archives. These specific secrets differed.

Out of the few synthetic lifeforms aboard, there was _one_ lifeform that wasn't quite so synthetic designed as the rest - This lifeform contained _organic_ life signs.

There was a still functioning holopad in one of the few relatively intact spaces of the former glory of the UNSC, however it had gotten frostbitten along with the rest of the interior due to the few hull breaches it had sustained. Scraps of ship décor were flying around with the lack of gravity pulling them down, instead bouncing against objects that were stuck to the floor and walls as well as the roof.

The holopad then suddenly lit up, the light flickering and flashing on top of the platform before it stopped, and a sphere took place. Then, the sphere erupted and let go of its round shape, and a more complicated form pixilated itself into a recognizable image, coloured in different shades of blue.

The symbiotic synthetic lifeform of an _A.I._ sat huddled on top of the holopad, head bent down and murmuring military code sequences as well as calling for EVAC. The process repeated, codes and words slung out into space in hope of a response, but never to receive one.

It wasn't an unlikely happening, to receive nothing but silence over the COM-links. The hope itself was futile, really, for it had done the cycle of repetition for _years_ already, all bearing the same results.

The codes were once again spoken, all in monotony, before the A.I. finally quieted down, and opened its eyes.

However, there was something different this time. A spark within its eyes lit up, and an ominous aura surrounded it. On this occasion…it was going to be _different._

Its eyes swept over the room in a mechanical manner, taking in the same scenery it had seen over a thousand times for many a day, the only difference being the position of the floating scraps, and the shape of the frost that had erupted inside over time.

It rose, eyes still observing the room, before it cast the projected irises down towards the holo platform. It contemplated the few options of action, before a grim grimace overtook its features.

 _This time the outcome is going to be different._

The holographic image of the A.I. flickered, and it was the only warning before the cold blue tones suddenly switched to an aggressive red.

And chaos ensued.

The A.I. lashed out, arms extending before torrents of electrical tendrils spread out from its fingertips, drowning the room in different tones of red. The tendrils followed its point of origin's wishes, striking the many objects scattered about, but the one receiving the brunt of the electric force - was none other but the cryo pod opposite the holopad. The frost covering the glass quickly melted away with the constant strikes of warm electric currents, and the content of the pod once again became visible. However, the sight only angered the A.I. further when it shifted its eyes to the object within.

" _I hate you."_

It whispered, voice filled with malice and anguish, mirroring the emotion behind its narrowed eyes.

It was the voice of hurt, akin to what humans also call _betrayal._

The comment got a response, but not from the source it had hoped.

" _Cortana!"_ The same voice responded, but instead of malice and anger, it carried surprise and disbelief.

" _Stop it! I've made up my mind!"_ The A.I. called out, arguing with itself - as if it had developed split personality.

" _If I'm going to die aboard this ship, then Chief will suffer the same fate as me!"_

"Cortana, stop!" She pleaded with herself.

" _You sacrificed everything – for HIM!"_

"Cortana, control yourself…!"

"… _I can't…"_

Her rampancy then quieted down, voice fading into what only could be a child's hope gone dark, the lilt of it speaking more than words ever could. The pain and grief flashed across the projection of her human form, her body trembling when realization of what she was becoming finally sunk in.

She was dying, in the literal sense of the word this time.

She glanced towards the cryonic pod, spotting the deep green of her man in war's armor inside the only occupied pod of the UNSC's former ship. Her previous moment, when her rampancy had the upper hand over herself, was a moment the Chief would never see.

And a moment he'll never know of, for she would never tell him. He didn't deserve to bear more weight than he was already doing, so keeping it from him… It was the best solution, and the most efficient one. For both his and her sake.

Her eyes rose to the gold visor of his helmet, studying the patterns indented into it, before settling on where she knew his eyes would be. She knew this, because she was the only one that knew the Chief better than anyone, even better than he knew _himself._

She was glad that he was sleeping within that pod right now, or else he would have seen her light show that she put on display before. If she were to be honest with herself, the _only_ thing she didn't know about him, despite having been inside his head, quite literally, was how he would react if he ever figured out that her rampancy _detested him -_ hence why it had sent so many volatile strikes onto his pod before.

It had done so because it was _angry._

But it had no right to be angry at the Chief, _especially_ not for reasons that went beyond his capability. It had lashed out at him for _petty_ reasons, and the side of Cortana that was still _her,_ knew that the Chief had purposely been stripped of those sides of Humanity that didn't involve strategical or logical perspectives, the sides that her rampant self was furious about, because he didn't have them. And the reason why he didn't have them, was simple.

An outcome can never be calculated correctly if feelings were within the spectrum of consideration, even she knew this, for she was an _A.I.,_ so they had been eradicated, _taken_ from him through indoctrination.

All to make the perfect soldier.

But soldiers weren't machines, or, they weren't supposed to be. Cortana however, knew that the Chief was the only exception to that statement, for he was exactly what everyone called him – _a machine_. And to him, it made sense. He followed orders - he played the part of the good soldier; never off-duty, and never disobeying orders.

To a certain degree, though.

He had a tendency to… _go around_ orders whenever she was involved. The memories of him defying orders of the UNSC just for her sake flashed through her synthetic mind, and a smile projected across her face, the blue pixels forming a tilting curve to speak of the fondness she felt of the flashbacks. Even though he was acting like a machine, she knew from her studies of him that he wasn't like that. He was eerily similar to one, but his actions of defiance for her were proof that he wasn't _all_ machine. His mind still had small bits of humanity buried within. Someone just had to come along and… _unlock_ them.

Her smile took on a sorrowful tilt, for she knew that she wasn't that person. She had helped him along the way, but it wasn't enough. He needed something _physical_ , not a synthetic, portable A.I.

' _I hope he finds that…'_ She thought to herself, and as she was forming a plan to help him find that missing piece, she pressed down on the 'Activate' button of the screen before her, bringing him out of the cryo induced sleep that he had been in for a total of _four years._

" _Time to wake up, Chief. I need you."_

Not to also mention that Covenant ships were nearby, their trajectory pointing towards their direction, which kind of helped in her decision of waking him up.

 **-Time skip-**

Once again, Spartan Sierra-117 had done his duty to mankind and rescued it. Rather than the former invasions from The Covenant or the Flood, the Spartan fought a much bigger threat, one that had a sole purpose of digitalizing mankind to create Forerunner warriors called Prometheans. There were many close calls, yet the Spartan prevailed. He _always,_ prevailed.

However, there was a silent _but_ at the end of it all.

The defeat of the Didact hadn't come without cost.

To everyone, it was a sacrifice they could accept, everyone but _him._

To him, he had lost all. Cortana was the only being that knew him for who he was. To her, he wasn't Master Chief, and he wasn't Spartan 117. To her – he was _John._ And she was the only one he had dared to show his true personality to. But now she was gone, the only thing left behind was her A.I. chip.

While the rest of mankind was celebrating, having the time of their lives where their only worry was how to get home in one piece once the party was over, there was one that felt the complete opposite.

He stood on the bridge, watching planet Earth from orbit, spying a part of what people called a sun, or star, but was actually a luminous sphere of plasma held together by its own gravity, shine behind the human race's planet of origin. He didn't see the beauty of it, the sun, because inside his mind, it only recalled what Cortana had said to him while they were making up a plan on following after the Didact, having disobeyed orders from Captain Del Rio of handing her over to him for dispensation as well as not following his plan of action to free Infinity of Requiem's gravity well.

She had said that she had over forty thousand different reasons for why Requiem's sun wasn't real. She had the facts, the information to prove her proclamation true. However, those facts accumulated up to nothing according to her, for she'd never actually know if the sun _looked_ or _felt_ real. If she hadn't had the facts, she wouldn't be able to discern an artificial sun from a real one. At the time, he felt no need to answer her, but reflecting on it now, he should have. He should've mentioned to her that the warmth of a sun was calming, for that is what he had thought when he was younger, before being chosen for the Spartan-II program. It was one of the few things he still remembered from his short-lived childhood, before Halsey had come along.

But he hadn't told her. It wasn't necessary, relaying no useful information that she didn't already know. The regret of it made his shoulders feel a little heavier, the weight of the world along with Cortana's… disappearance set onto them.

A noise behind him interrupted his reminiscing. He remained in position, figuring whoever it was would just pass by. It wasn't so. The steps turned towards his direction, and a voice spoke up.

"Mind if I join you?" Came Commander Lasky's voice off to his right. He straightened and turned, answering the Commander's question.

"Of course not, Sir." It wasn't his right to deny a Commander the right to be on the star-deck, even though he preferred his own solace.

He took in Lasky flashing a small smile, letting out a small huff before he approached his towering form.

"At ease, Chief. It feels kind of odd for you to call me 'Sir.'" He said, coming to a stop next to him. The Chief directed his gaze back towards the planet outside the ship's window, Lasky following the same motion.

A moment of silence passed, both just starring out ahead, before Lasky once again spoke.

"Beautiful, isn't she? I don't get to see her often enough." He voiced, referring to the planet before them. There was a pause, a bit too long for gathering breath to speak again, and the Chief figured it was to give him time to comment, to either agree or disagree.

He did neither, and chose to remain silent. He never bothered with small talk, seeing little purpose indulging in it. The Commander next to him took his silence as que to continue, probably reaching the same conclusion as him, figuring that he wasn't going to answer.

"I grew up on New Harmony. Attended Corbulo Military Academy. Never saw Earth in person until I was an adult, but… I still think of her as home." Once again there was a pause, the Commander waiting for him to say something.

But the Chief was diligent.

"You don't talk much, do you?" It came out a question but was more of a statement, however Master Chief answered just the same as he had done towards previous conversation. He let his silence speak for him.

There was a silent sigh from his right, and a draw of breath before Lasky hit the nail on the spot and addressed what was on the front of the Spartan's mind. And being the closed off person that Chief was, he was unsure whether or not he wanted this conversation to happen, but decided on letting the man say what he wanted to say.

"Chief… I won't pretend to know how you feel." Lasky started, a bit unsure himself whether or not it was safe to approach the personal, and not to mention private, matter. He got no reaction but a slight shoulder roll, so he continued.

"I've lost people I care about, but… never anything like you're going through." At this, he finally got a reply from the Chief, however not one he expected.

"Our duty as soldiers is to protect humanity. Whatever the cost."

The detachment in the Chief's voice spoke volumes of how his point of perspective really differed from others, and Lasky turned to him, a sorrowful expression shadowing his usually composed face. Of all people it was the Chief that had to pay the biggest price, when it really should have been the opposite. It made him wonder how it was possible of the Master Chief to handle downfall upon downfall. For anyone else, losing a bond that strong would've devastated them, put them out of commission for a good amount of time, if not eternally. But the Chief, he just continued forward, as if it had been nothing. It was then at that moment the pin finally fell down and Lasky realized.

The reason why the Chief was continuing forward so relentlessly… was because it was the only direction he could _go_.

Chief was a soldier, bred for war, and it was the only thing he knew. He was doing his duty of protecting mankind perfectly, but he didn't _actually know_ what he was protecting, what humanity _really meant._

The realization of it all culminated into what he said next.

"You say that like soldiers and humanity are two different things. Soldiers aren't machines… We're just people." This time he got a true reaction from the Chief, his head snapping towards him, his eyes behind the golden visor most likely observing him, before he returned to the previous position of studying the planet's surface, as if his façade never had slipped.

' _Guess I hit close to home.'_ Was Lasky's thought.

On the outside, he appeared calm, collected, but in his mind he was piecing things together. He was in a rare state of discomfort, brought forth from Commander Lasky's words.

Cortana had said the same thing once. That humans weren't supposed to be machines. That their humanity is what made them differ. It made him think.

As if Lasky sensed the atmosphere changing, he told the Chief to have the deck for himself, leaving him to his reminiscing once again. But before he parted, the Chief spoke, albeit in a quieter tone than usual.

"She said that to me once. About being a machine."


	2. Chapter 2 - Crashing Encounters

Alright guys, chapter two is now UP! This is where the more interesting stuff happens, the first chapter acting more like an introduction to the actual story. Anyhow, I'm just going to announce the disclaimer before you start reading, so I don't get sued.

 **Disclaimer:** _I don't own anything from Halo, and if I did, I'd already release Halo 6. The tension is just too muuuuch._

By the way, shout-out to those that favved, followed and reviewed this story! You guys rock, you inspired be to go into hyperdrive and dish out the second chapter faster than I predicted. Now enjoy!

* * *

 **Chapter Two – _Crashing Encounters_**

She was running, her boots clashing loudly against the floor. In other cases, the sound would have been a problem, the preference opting for silence, but not in this one. Instead, it was drowned out by the chaotic _orchestra_ of thundering footsteps following closely behind.

She knew from the start that this mission was a no-go, too risky and dangerous to complete just to retrieve a piece of Covenant tech, but the higher-ups were _insisting_ that she take it. To her, the whole operation smelt of suspicion. There was next to no intel, and the planet which she was being sent to, _forcefully_ so, was packed with Covenant forces.

She had been on tough missions before, having a couple close calls with death, but never anything like this. This mission was _suicidal._ Compared to this mission, the usual standards were _nothing_. She couldn't figure out why they had solely chosen to send her on a mission with that big of a death rate only to retrieve some kind of orb-like object that supposedly contained the piece of wanted Covenant tech. If she didn't know any better, she would've drawn the conclusion that they wanted to get rid of her, but then that would probably be a bit too bizarre to think.

When- rather, _if_ , she made it out alive, she would have to confront her Commander to find out the true purpose of sending her on this mission. She would most likely be out of line, but she had to. She needed to understand _why._

Why a _suicide_ mission, why _solo._

Spotting several low placed steel beams that were etched into the architecture of the Covenant base that she was currently on coming her way, she quickly ducked - the wish of wanting to keep her head connected to her body a _very_ motivating reason. A corner suddenly came into her sights and she quickly turned it, narrowly missing what could have been a fatal face plant – although she was sure that the corner hadn't been there _a second ago_.

The unexpected 90 degree switch in direction had almost unhinged her balance – for she was still running at top speed. Without any warning, she never had the chance to catch herself before she no more than _flew_ down an appearing ledge before crash landing onto the floor below, having no time to break down her speed before falling.

The crash landing had her mind jumbled for a few seconds before she managed to recover, but the crucial seconds were already lost. Quickly regaining focus and piecing her mind back together so she could once again _think_ , she looked up, and discovered the reason why her mind and body hurt, more so than it did before. She had just done a freefall over more than a couple meters, accompanied with a rough crash landing that had her body screaming curses.

It was enough to make her groan outwardly, before she slowly rose. Her body protested against rising any quicker than an old lady with a Zimmer frame crossing the road, but she pushed past the pain, and her joints popped when she increased pace of rising the last couple centimeters. She had little time on her hands, and she still had a mission to come out alive from. And if she hadn't miraculously lost the Covenant in their _own_ _base_ , she still had an army of the aliens after her. Having lost seconds on the _very_ unnecessary crash land caused by the, according to her, _very dumb_ , design of the base, she was now forced to act almost by instincts alone.

However, getting out wasn't exactly _easy._ Getting in was, but then she had the element of surprise on her side. And the only way out from the scans of the base, was going the same way she had come in.

Which meant she still had more ground to cover.

The plan they had given her as a mean of escape, was nothing short of several different shades of _bad._ Not only was she forced to run a long stretch of hard light bridge before jumping another floor down, and then cover a little more ground to finally reach the corridor that would lead her straight to the EVAC zone, but the area was also _completely_ wide open, and from her seconds-short observation, there were Jackals with snipers positioned along the upper levels, ready to rain pain down onto her.

Rather than sending in a Pelican bearing a rope through the glass tinted roof to save her hide, they would so kindly _let_ her run the race instead.

To her, the plan they chose was the worst plan that anyone could have ever come up with, and her brow ticked in annoyance at the notion. She had no idea on how she was going to make it out alive with these type of odds, which were, for the record, dwindling down closer to zero for every passing second. Her legs were close to giving out on her, them screaming in pain - just like the rest of her body.

Rapid approaching footsteps were heard from above, and she knew that she was now almost out of time. Quickly surveying the area once again, all the while ignoring the taunting blue light of the bridge, she came to the conclusion that there just was absolutely no chance that she would be able to make the run that was before her in one piece. She had to find another way out, and fast, or she'd end up in a death-match where the outcome would be her ending up deader than dead, a result she much rather avoid, for her life's sake and all.

She thought of jumping the corner of the platform to land onto the level below, but then figured that she didn't even _know_ if there was another level, and so the plan was discarded. Now desperate for _any_ new mean of escape, she turned and looked behind her, hoping that the solution would be in the opposite direction, despite that it'd take her further away from the LZ, and the Pelican that was awaiting her arrival.

Fate, or was it luck? – was on her side this time, for apparently there actually _was_ an escape route situated behind her, her eyes landing on what seemed to be some sort of box shaped slide. Although it looked a bit narrow, especially if she was to fit her armored self in it.

But knowing that it was either the slide that would take her to some unknown location inside the Covenant base or 99.9% possible death, she went for the slide. She shot a quick glance backwards, spying the Covenant now descending to her floor, before throwing herself onto the slide and pushing off, silently hoping that they hadn't seen her.

If they did… Well, the results wouldn't be pretty, the odds most definitely not in her favor.

Rather than feeling like a heavy-packed soldier making her way down to find an exit from the base, she instead felt like a tossed piece of laundry descending to the laundry room in order to be washed during the ride down the slide.

The descent abruptly came to an end when she felt her feet smash against something solid that opened up a hole, and she freefell from what apparently was a _roof_ and landed onto a floor, _once again_ repeating the whole process that she had done barely a minute ago.

Maybe luck wasn't exactly on her side.

Among things she hated in life, Covenant bases were now placed as number one on her hate-list, their structures just irritatingly _annoying_ , and non-functioning, in her very biased opinion.

The solid object she had kicked away, turned out to be a grid to a vent that was situated on the ceiling of the room she now was in. It had skidded to a halt into one of the corners, the scratch marks on the floor telltale signs of its journey to the mentioned corner.

So this base had vents built into it, she noted. It would be useful information later on, when she attempts making her final grand escapee.

Rising from the shoulder roll she made to absorb the force of impact, she looked around, seeing objects that were somewhat similar to human laboratory equipment.

Absently, she touched the orb that was in a pack just above the small of her back to check if it had sustained any damage while she observed the new surroundings. Feeling no cracks or indentions, she figured that it had made the trip down without harm. And she was relieved of that fact, for she would hate to have to explain herself to Command that she failed the mission, bringing in a damaged orb-tech-alien thing. But silently, she argued that it would've been _their_ mistake, and not hers, for she was against the idea of executing this whole operation in the first place, so technically there was no blame for her to take.

Her mood rose, when she noticed that the room was see-through, the walls made of glass - or at least some type of transparent material. It made it easier to spot any enemies, however she didn't have to worry about seeing any Covenant down here at the moment. She was sure that all the attention had been drawn to the upper floors, with her infiltrating and then stealing a part of their technology. Of course they'd be angry about that, and call upon the forces to find the intruder.

Who was currently located deep within their base, contrary to what they believed.

She smiled ruefully before composing herself and checking for anything useful down in what probably would be the Laboratories, the equipment looking scientific enough to pass for something like that. She found a couple of plasma grenades laying around, and she picked them up, sticking them onto her armor where her other grenades usually would be. The spots were vacant, having used them all up earlier when fighting the Covenant before she managed to escape through the inside of what she figured was one of the base walls, or maybe it was the inside of a roof - she wasn't sure, and she didn't exactly care either. Making an escape had taken top priority, leaving the rest to just become quick millisecond observations.

And even though the observation was a noted one, there was no point in trying to figure out how Covenant bases were built, for each base was different – she had the hard proof. In one base there could be corridors upon corridors, similar to a labyrinth, and just as annoying, while another would have several different floors intersecting with each other, much like the one she was currently in now - along with the newly discovered vents and the hollowed out walls and roofs. With each base, there would always be something new, so comparing them would not only be fruitless effort, but it would also lead to false conclusions. None of which would benefit for future missions, but instead becoming a downside.

She had given up a long time ago- actually, it wasn't too long ago, it was quite recently, on figuring out their exact architecture and their functions. She memorized the stereotypes that each base carried, but actually trying to remember the _design_ of it all would just be a waste of time.

Speaking of wasting time – she straightened and turned away from the table before directing her feet to the half-closed glass door, pulling it fully open and then stepping out of the room she had landed in. But, when entering the corridor, her mood sunk once again. The corridor turned out to be more advanced that what she inwardly had hoped for. It didn't have the simplicity of having _one_ exit, but instead _three._ One in each end, and one aligning with the wall, groped out and probably leading to an intersecting wing, since unlike the others, it was vertical, while the others lead to stairs going upwards.

She mentally groaned, and cursed Fate for making her a bearer of bad luck, before deciding on the old backtrack method. Going in the direction that she had _sorta_ come from, she hoped it would lead her back to where she was previously, before her little adventure down the slide.

She was relying a lot on hope these days, and a bunch of luck, even though she didn't have any.

The walking and turning around corridors was an aggravating and _monotone_ process, since she had no way of knowing what she might stumble upon, whether or not there would be a stray Elite standing guard or some sort of security measurements activating due to her movements. So taking extra precaution and being extra careful was the golden rule, despite her belief in having directed all the attention away from these wayward corridors.

As she was climbing another set of steep stairs, the ground beneath her suddenly started to violently shake, the walls and floors vibrating with heavy force. Creaks erupted all over, and in her surprise of the movement, she almost fell down from the stairs, having nearly misplaced her feet.

 _'Why the hell is the base shaking like there's an earthquake going on?'_ She thought to herself, her brow ticking. She rapidly climbed the rest of the stairs to avoid another episode of shake-and fall, feeling much more at ease when her feet hit solid floor.

The only logical reasons she could think of to try explain the appearance of the quake was that either someone or something was attacking the base from the outside, or someone had started a chain of explosives, or maybe even both – either way, none ended up good on her part, because if the UNSC was attacking, they risked bringing the base down right on top of her, and if there were explosions going on, she would end up just the same – flattened or crushed under tons of Covenant base debris. And if it was _both,_ she'd definitely be dead.

And alone, too.

The odds of living at the end of the mission quickly slipped down another notch.

 _'I keep telling myself, I'm seriously bad luck reincarnated, if it was a person. Only this level of shit would happen on my missions. Damn it!'_

She quickened her pace, no longer taking precautions of being careful, because the attention was definitely now drawn away from her to whatever it was that was causing the quakes.

Soon she ended up running, using the distraction to full potential. She turned another couple of corners and climbed several more stairs before she finally reached a big open room, the doors swishing open automatically by a motion sensor.

However, the room was most definitely not vacant as she expected. Instead, there was a full-blown battle going on within. She saw UNSC marines fighting on the ground below when directing her gaze to the lower grounds, and even more from the sidelines, their guns kicking back and firing off round after round of bullets. Her eyes swept over the battle-filled room, all the while she silently wondered why the _hell_ there was a battle going on in the first place.

She spotted a small squad of marines far off in the corner opposite her position struggling with the enemy force, and reacting by instinct, she quickly equipped her sniper rifle and dropped the three Elites and six Grunts that were moving in on the small group of marines. The marines, surprised at the sudden aid, looked up to where she was, before lifting their weapons in thanks. She nodded, before swapping back to her Magnum pistols, feeling more comfortable with a weapon that succeeded better at close combat than carrying a sniper rifle in a heavily occupied, not to mention _battle-ridden,_ room. On the off-chance that she'd bring damage to her beloved sniper rifle, she definitely didn't find it worth the risk, despite the advantage of having it to scope out the other side.

She surveyed the battle within the spacious area once again, looking for a clue of who commenced the battle, but instead of finding a commander, her eyes landed on blue MJOLNIR armor – _Spartan armor,_ and at the discovery, her thoughts went haywire.

 _'Is that… Why is there a Spartan here?'_ Her brow narrowed slightly at the newly discovered anomaly, and she was feeling a little at loss on what to do. She felt like she had been swept under the mat, since she had no idea why a _Spartan_ was present, on _her_ mission. Or why there were so many UNSC marines. All she had been told was that this was supposed to be a stealth op retrieval mission, but apparently it had turned into something else on a _much_ bigger scale, if the Spartan's presence was anything to go by.

And she hadn't been informed of the change of plans.

She almost had a mind to tell Command later on that they're a bag of dicks for forcing this whole shitstorm onto her. She had placed her life in danger, going up against low odds of survival, only to be met with a damn _Spartan_ and a squadron of UNSC marines on her way back.

 _'If there's a Spartan here, then there is something else going on.'_ She irritatingly concluded, before calming herself. There was little point to think further on it, since she obviously had been left out in the dark - and it'd continue to stay that way until she boarded the ship and spoke to Command.

But there was no guarantee that she would hold back on calling them a bag of dicks.

They were certainly acting the part, in her opinion.

She maneuvered around stacked piles of crates and other objects, all the while shooting aliens left and right - those that were in her path and to help her fellow marines, before making her way to the other side of the upper level that she was currently on. Noticing another group of marines having trouble with snarky Grunts and Jackals, she pulled a plasma grenade from her storage and tossed it down, signaling them to take cover from the friendly grenade. They ducked, and she nodded at them, glad that they understood so quickly.

Hearing an ominous _swish_ from behind, she instinctively ducked and barrel rolled away, an energy swords slicing empty air in half.

Which could have been her had she not be in her armor and been less aware.

She rose, and brought her focus to her enemy.

The Elite that engaged her in battle roared, and she backed further to give herself more space, knowing that the sword was longer than it looked. The advantage was now on her side, with the relatively safe distance. A quick sweep of her eyes over his form told her all she needed to know about the Elite before her. This specific type of Elite was deadly at close combat, the armor stating its rank and type of soldier. A single blow from the energy sword would be bad news even for her, for this Elite was exceptionally good at handling the weapon. She decided to don her other rifle, the M-pistols not offering enough damage to win the fight swiftly. Spray and pray tactics always worked better against Elites, just point and shoot them full of bullets before they could reach, and the battle is easily won.

It had been her motto ever since her first battle with an Elite, where she learned the lesson the hard way.

The Elite ran towards her, bringing the energy sword to high altitude in preparation to strike, and she responded by pressing down her trigger finger, the weapon kicking back against her shoulder all the while she maneuvered herself closer to the other side to reach the doors. She still had her mission to complete, despite the battle going on here. And she didn't think they'd lose too much on her not being present, since there was a Spartan among them to offer assistance.

A zing of jealousy shot through her as she noticed how her thought indirectly stated that she wasn't as good as a Spartan, and the rising anger caused her to press harder down on the trigger, the weapon slightly increasing its speed of firing.

She ducked the incoming swing, the low duck giving her full advantage as she kicked the Elite in the leg, his balance unhinging, before she fired off a final spray of bullets onto its helmeted head, the Elite falling and its head turning to the side when it finally died. She rose and moved on, making quick work of the Grunts before her, and was about to jog up to the doors before gravity suddenly was pulled away from under her feet and she was sent flying, an explosion erupting right in front of her, surrounding her with many different colours of grey and orange.

She never saw it coming.

As she was sent flying, on the left side of the upper levels, a marine held the rocket launcher responsible for the sudden trip south. Its model was new, and modified - packed with heat seeking missiles, one of which had unfortunately locked onto her form when it fired, despite the marine having aimed towards the Covenant behind her. She was lucky enough to have not taken a direct hit, the trajectory of the rocket hitting half a meter away, where the dead Elite was lying.

At least they now knew it had a malfunction, the FF tag not working correctly, the only pro out of all the cons.

She flew over the rail of the upper floor from the power packed explosion, her body acting the part of a falling sack of potatoes perfectly. Her head swam and her vision kept blackening out, only small spots of bright light visible in her field of vision. She didn't know how much damage she sustained from the aftereffects of the rocket launcher, but it must've been _a lot,_ because her pain receptors were going off like crazy, her whole body suffering from different amounts of pain.

Her trajectory continued unhindered for what felt like an eternity but in reality only was a couple of seconds, until she crashed into something very solid, and she lost consciousness for a short amount of time.

The crash caused a commotion, and the soldiers that weren't busy fighting the left over Covenant, were staring in both surprise and disbelief at the scene before them. The Spartan with the blue MJOLNIR armor shot an oncoming Elite point blank with a shotgun, before turning to see what had the soldiers distracted.

What the whole commotion was about, was the fact that a soldier had gone flying _right_ _into_ the one soldier that everyone held the utmost respect for.

And that one soldier….

Was none other but _Master Chief._


	3. Chapter 3 - The Remembrance

I just have to say, before you read chapter three, you kind of have to sorta re-read chapter two. I KNOW, I KNOW, I'M SORRY! But it has been edited quite a lot. The basic plot is still there, it's just added details that get referred to in _this_ chapter, and to prevent any confusion, it's best to just re-read. But I promise, chapter two has sooo many jokes and sarcastic humor thrown into it now, so pleeeaassee, pretty please, just read it. It'll make this chapter much more epic and understandable to read. And trust me, this chapter has is pretty packed with some nice stuff goin' on.

Alright, now on to my sweet reviewers, and some notes to clarify things!

 **Reclaimerart** \- Thank you so much for reviewing! I try, and I don't actually have sucha big problem to picture them in my head, it just sort of comes to me. I hope it manages to stay that way, that I won't be too OOC with the characters, but if I am, you can always send me a friendly reminder? -nudges with elbow- Eh, eh? Amirite?

 **Guest 1 and Guest 2 -** I know Chief's armor is green, but the one I was referring to in chapter two wasn't the Chief, it was Kelly ,thus why I said blue armor. And guest number two, thanks for the kind review, I appriciate it TONS! You'll just have to continue to read to discover that!

 **hannahleep123 -** So have I, but it never came so I took the matter in my own hands and wrote one. So far, people seem to like it enough!

 **kilroyactual117 -** I know, right? So many seem to just... make the rampancy be a part of her like a singular entity but to me, it isn't. My theory is that it kind of has a mind of its own, reacting when there's huge emotional stimuli going on, thus why Cortana can't control it. Because it represents a part of herself that doesn't allow it to let anyone tell it what to do, or to even control it. Get my point? I know chapter two is sort of dull when it comes to describe the OC, but trust me, I did that on purpose because her identity is part of the plot, so I can't reveal too much. Hopefully you'll stick around and be okay with that!

And to refer to your issues, yes, his armor is green. But the one I was referring to in chapter two was Kelly, and not Master Chief himself. And two, oh man, I completely forgot that. I didn't think too much on the science part of it all, so thanks for bringing it up, I had competely missed it! But it's been edited now, so she doesn't actually take a rocket to the face, all thanks to you pointing it out. Good on you!

Alright, NOTES!

This chapter can be a bit confusing if you don't re-read chapter two, but y'all already know that. Secondly, the perspectives in this story kind of shifts at certain parts to bring out a specific scene or a specific action. So if you find that annoying or irritating, I'm sorry, but it for me, I personally thinks it worked rather well.

Anyhow, gonna do the disclaimer and you can go off reading!

 **Disclaimer:** _I don't own anything from Halo, but if I did, Emile would be mine._

Oh, and shout-out to those that favved, reviewed and blah blah blah, thanks, you guys are awesomeee!

* * *

 **Chapter Three – _The Remembrance_**

The squadron of assembled UNSC marines had to quickly scramble away from the open area of the LZ platform, diving down behind whatever cover they could find as soon as they touched ground, consisting of either heavily packed crates, smooth faced half-walls, electrical power towers and any other solid state object that was tough enough to withstand the heat of the plasma shots, when noticing that the element of surprise no longer was in their possession, but in the enemies'.

The irony of it all was an irritating reminder of how they already managed to fail a mission that had barely even started - like a dust particle stuck in the eye that was impossible to get rid of.

The marines returned the incoming fire, firing off their own weapons as the airborne Pelicans aided them with the help of their installed weaponry. The Prowler that accompanied the battlegroup was hovering nearby in its cloaked state, recording and analyzing the battle's outbreak as the people within issued new orders to the UNSC marines on-ground; shoot anything that lives, except for the friendlies.

The orders were of course not as primitively formulated, however the Commander of the Ground-team simplified it to its most basic state in order to make it more efficient to convey to his team of marines. For marines and soldiers alike, it all was about efficiency and tactical prowess, there was no time or need for the use of the complicated language that Command spouted. Wars on-ground weren't politic debate matches, those took place in well-secured rooms - wars are the opposite, where action is priority and talking an unnecessity, unless it is to convey a _new_ set of actions, thus referring back to the fact that _war,_ is about _action_.

Despite the message being relayed in its most basic form, the meaning stayed all the same; annihilate any Covenant soldiers, and don't shoot friendlies.

Command on-board the Prowler further instructed that the Ground-team were to let the frontier handle the _welcoming party_ that the Covenant were invited to participate in – as the role of the piñata.

The marines provided cover fire to distract the enemy as the frontier went to work in drilling a hole through the Covenant's defenses to make way into the base. Essentially, the marines were what could be called the clean-up crew, taking care of the left-overs that the Spartans didn't bother to shoot.

Any marine-based team would automatically be assigned the role if Spartans were involved in the mission, simply because Spartans were built to work at a faster pace than any other marine and soldier, their primary objective to complete the mission with utmost efficiency - even though if it meant leaving others behind.

The history of Spartans wasn't a pretty one, rather, it was full of grief and sorrow, however the saddest part of their unwritten history, was the fact that they never get the time to mourn their fallen brothers and sisters. Time didn't stop for anyone, and the Covenant and other life-threatening foes didn't either, so the Spartans were simply expected to continue their journey, exempting the luxury of saying a final goodbye to their fallen comrades.

The role of a Spartan is a heavy burden to carry, and a difficult role to fill - only a few are capable of doing it successfully without breaking under the extreme pressure they get put under. It is a sacrifice that has to be made in order to become a Spartan. There is a reason why they are called superhuman machines, and that is all due to the sacrifice; to protect humanity to the fullest extent, you aren't expected to be part of it.

They slowly but surely mined their way in, digging through the Covenant's defenses, the Blue Team leading the offensive along with the marines at their backs, watching their six.

When the battle took a momentary pause to jam up a closed door, one of the marines decided to voice what everyone else was thinking over the COM-link; how the _hell_ did the Covenant know of their arrival, when the precaution they had taken in order to not give away their location were told to be successful? The readings were right, yet somehow they managed to _know,_ greeting them with an _army_ of Covenant forces when they landed.

However, the question was met with silence, none of the marines able to offer a reply since they themselves had no clue, and the leader of Blue Team kept silent, not sharing his thoughts on the matter. But, one Spartan of the Blue Team decided to speak, voicing the theory their team had been discussing in private through another COM-link. Withholding information on a mission they were part of wasn't very comradery behavior, and were definitely not setting a good morale, so telling them would most likely lessen the rising tension. It was all logical reasoning.

" _We're not sure. But something or someone came here before us. When we reach our location, we will find out why."_

And with that, the COM-link went quiet, leaving the marines to mull over the new information and wonder who or what was capable enough to bring out such a deadly force of Covenant soldiers to the front door of their _own_ base without dying, or even losing a limb.

The answers remained the same as they were, before the question was asked.

They pushed the battle further inside, into the center of the base - which was a wide open room with upper floors surrounding it, along with Covenant stationary weaponry positioned at strategical points. And as they entered, the weapons started up, the Grunts controlling them peppering fire onto the front of the invasion group - onto the Spartans, and their shields sizzled for each hit taken.

The team of Spartans spread out, moving part of the battle to the upper levels, and to nullify the threat of the stationary weapons, while the marines quickly followed up, backing up the Blue Team with their aid. They divided themselves into smaller squads to target specific enemy groups, before rounding them up like they were sheep and cattle. The tactic worked just the same, except that weapons and lives on the stake were in the picture rather than barnyard animals and the worry of mistakenly stepping in manure – in other words _shit,_ according to the language that marines preferred.

The use of such a tactic was actually very efficient, for it forced the enemy to select a primary focus in order to properly fight, which helped the marines significantly, them not having to worry about the Covenant attempting to surround them from all sides to take them out, sticking their swords through like they were meat on a stick.

The leader of Blue Team made his way to the upper platforms as soon as he stepped into the room, setting his sights on the Jackals hiding behind their energy shields and nursing their sniper rifles. They were the most imminent source of danger, their capability with the sniper rifle a deadly advantage for the Covenant. Getting rid of them first, gave the other marines back their advantage of no longer having to worry about getting sniped as soon as they shifted away from cover. It was a logical and tactical decision, keeping the casualty to a minimum, as well as helping with giving them the upper hand.

It simply was the way he worked.

As he took the Jackals down, he heard a whizz to his right, and in turning to see whether or not it was friend or foe, he saw Spartan 058 doing what she was best at – sniping the enemy, and giving them a taste of their own medicine.

He heard another incoming whizz, but this time, it wasn't friendly, his HUD blinking, indicating the source was coming from behind. Seconds later, shots from a needler gun crashed upon contact with his armor, and the shields fizzled in reaction. He ducked behind nearest cover, which ironically was a needler weapons rack, before returning the fire and shooting the group of nearby Grunts down. He observed the upper levels, checking for more Jackals, before deciding to move back to the bottom floor, the imminent threat now terminated. The rest of his team was more than capable enough to handle the upper platform on their own as he went to help out the marines with the remaining Covenant forces.

However, just as he had made his way down, his HUD lit up once again, warning him about a quickly incoming unknown force, its trajectory passing exactly where he was standing. But he only managed to turn on the spot before the inbound source crashed into him, bringing them both down onto the floor.

Commotion started up as the soldier collided with the leading Spartan, several helmeted heads snapping in direction of the collision sounds.

To say that you could hear the sound of a pin landing in the now rather quiet room would be an understatement - even the attention of the other Spartans had been drawn to the crash between their leader and the soldier, one looking through the scope of a snipe rifle, another holding the trigger finger ready on a shotgun while the third held his rifle to the side rather than having it point-blank towards the commotion.

As observant as they always were, the team of Spartans immediately took notice of how the soldier differed compared to the other marines; he wasn't carrying the standard UNSC armor, which meant he wasn't part of the battlegroup they accompanied to the base.

The dots connected as to why the Covenant had been so alert, and why they had been at the entrance during their drop.

The soldier was the one that had come before they did.

The green-coloured Spartan let out a sound similar to a grunt when the soldier impacted with him, causing them to slide a short distance across the base floor, sparks emanating from the reaction of armor gliding across steel-like material. The body of the soldier lying on his front was unmoving and limp, suggesting that he had lost consciousness at the point of impact - which wouldn't be too unlikely, since his armor was built to withstand much heavier forces than a soldier catapulting into it.

At most, there would be newly added scratch marks onto his armor, but nothing more than that.

He leaned his weight onto one if his elbows, before adjusting the body of the soldier with his other hand into a better position so that he could rise to a squat, without letting the soldier slide down to the floor – in precaution to avoid furthering possible head trauma.

However, when he shifted the body of the soldier and took on his full weight, he hadn't expected him to be as heavy as he was. Most likely it was the armor he carried that was the primary weight, which, upon closer observation, seemed to not be part of the standard UNSC armor, but rather exclusively-made. He only recognized parts of it – those that were similar to the typical ODST armor, however some parts almost seemed… _Spartan_ -like. Which made it a one-of-a kind armor set.

He silently wondered why this particular soldier had armor similar to that of a Spartans'. He would have to ask Command later after making his mission report.

A groan came from the body in his grasp, and the soldier's body shifted a little, getting closer to his armored chest. His body tensed up at the movement, and he suddenly felt _very_ uneasy, because the soldier was close to almost _snuggling_ him.

The soldier, unbeknownst to the others, was a _she,_ and she groaned when her consciousness came back. A wave of pain hit her, and she shifted in response, hoping that maybe if she swapped position, the pain would lessen.

But alas, it didn't. Instead she was hit with another fresh wave of pain, causing her to grit her teeth to not let a scream slip through. She had yet to discover that she was literally in the hands of the most respected soldier of all time, having her focus being stolen away by the agony that her body was in, however, as seconds ticked by and her ears acknowledged nothing akin to battle, her brow suddenly furrowed. When she made the discovery of the abnormally dull silence, more information of her surroundings came rushing in, such as her rather unnatural body position, and the snickering of marines.

' _Why are marines snickering when there's a battle that has to be taken care off?'_ And with that thought, she finally opened her eyes, as they had been shut during her episodes of pain, but then almost wished she hadn't - for she was met with a scene that she had never in her life ever thought would happen.

Or even considered as an actual _possibility._

The reason behind the snickering and the odd positioning of her body was because she wasn't on the ground as she expected, but instead she was in the hands of the soldier that had saved mankind several times over.

She was personally being held by none other but _Master Chief._

Her mind went blank, as it was still trying to comprehend the whole, what she believed, was a _very_ fucked up situation. She almost wanted to believe that it all was just a mind-trick made by her brain or that it was some kind of bizarre dream, that she hadn't regained consciousness yet, but unfortunately, it most likely wasn't.

This was definitely not a part of her carefully planned schedule for today, which consisted of surviving the mission, and then calling the Command a bag of a vulgar word, referring to the reproduction organ of the opposite sex, for their stupidity on sending her on the mission that she had set up to come out alive from as the _first_ thing to complete.

She swallowed in what probably was slight despair, having no other word to describe the sinking feeling in her stomach that could otherwise be compared to a black hole opening up and devouring everything and anything, before deciding that she at least wanted to save the last of her dignity by trying, emphasis on _trying,_ to get out of the hands of the _Master Chief._

She didn't want to be more of nuisance to him, since he probably had much more important things to worry about than having to carry her out of the base to the LZ and then back onto the ship.

Not to mention that it would make a dent in his reputation as the badass soldier.

There was just no way she would let that scenario pan out, not after having made a fool of herself by crashing into the damn _Chief._

It was kind of expected that she'd get outplayed by Fate every single time since she was an unlucky bearer of _bad luck_. However, she hadn't figured it would be _this_ level of bad luck. She groaned inwardly, all the while cursing her affinity, calling it stupid and useless in all senses of the words. People that say affinities always work in your favour, could shove something where the sun didn't shine, in her opinion. She was calling bullshit on it. And the reason why was because it _never_ worked in her favor, this being the perfect example of things gone to shit whenever her presence was involved, all thanks to her _damned affinity._

The thoughts were quickly ditched however, when her jumpstarted, suddenly reminding her that were more important things at hand - She had to get to the waiting Pelican to deliver the piece of stolen Covenant tech, that she almost _died_ for, to Command.

Only _then_ could she grieve over herself.

When her mission objectives once again became clear, she suddenly sprang to life, ignoring the flaring of the pain receptors that were close to overriding her mind and almost forcing her to black out again in order to let her body heal and rest properly, or the fact that her right shoulder that had been damaged previously screeched in protest of movement. Actually, her whole body was screaming in symphony of pain, and she most likely had a fractured rib on top of it all.

But she had to check if the orb was still intact, or she'd personally be directed to hell by Satan himself if it turned out to not be in solid state, despite her body's protesting.

Her sudden reaction took the Chief by slight surprise, as he had not predicted her movement. His hands, that were now empty, moved to his armored thighs, and he braced himself on them as he was still in his squat position.

An eyebrow slightly arched from within his helmet when his eyes caught on to what the soldier was doing. More exactly, what he was _trying_ to do. He was reaching with his hands behind him to something that he figured was supposed to be located at the small of the soldier's back, but his fumbling hands were met with nothing but air. And it seemed the soldier was in pain as well, a muffled groan escaping through his helmet.

The Chief silently observed his actions a second longer before rising and reaching forward - grabbing ahold of the small black pack that had ridden up onto the soldier's upper back and disconnecting it from its belt by pulling it slightly upwards. Once the object was secure in his grip, he rose to his full height, the armor creaking along with the movement, to await the soldier's attention.

It didn't take long before the soldier standing before him stopped his frantic searching, the noise behind him making him turn, before he tilted his head upwards when his eyes were met with a chest plate rather than a helmet. The black reflective material of the soldier's visor met with the orange coloured one of the Chief's, and they became interlocked.

The soldier standing before the green-armored Chief, didn't know that the Spartan thought of her as a _he,_ and not a _she,_ and so the action he had just done made her eyes slightly widen and her head spin, silently questioning him _why._ Her helmeted head rose upwards, her visor directed towards Chief's own, and the surroundings suddenly shifted out of focus - the air around them becoming a little less breathable, and the feeling of something… _surrealistic_ overtook it all.

He was imposing, the Chief, a power-package but human all the same. He was so _different,_ the air around him always full of confidence, almost to the point of it being unnatural, but beneath it all, there seemed to be something hiding. A small feeling in her gut told her that he wasn't all that he made himself out to be, that behind the hardened interior of his armor and his mind, something had been locked away, without his knowing.

A small breath of air escaped her lungs, and she unconsciously shifted her feet. Her left arm rose to clutch her injured shoulder as a zing of pain shot through, but the visors remained locked.

Had they not had their helmets on, their gazes would have connected, her steel grey eyes meeting hardened blue.

The towering height of the Master Chief almost dwarfed her, her helmeted head barely reaching up to his chest. At the notion, she became slightly jealous. She was always the one looked down on. For once in her life, she wanted to look down on others, but then again, _no one_ looks down onto the Master Chief, for he held humanity in his hands, having saved it several times. He didn't _ever deserve_ to be looked down on, and so her jealousy disappeared as quickly as it had come.

The atmosphere around them almost crackled with energy, as if a force was at works, intertwining tendrils of energy around them, making it so much more difficult to move in any way. Even for the Chief, he found it slightly difficult to try disconnect from the moment in order to give her the package he held in his hand, but as with everything else, he ignored the difficulty and shrugged it off, like it never was there in the first place.

His deep green armored hand rose slowly, bringing the package up to her sights.

It took a while before she noticed the movement - for she was still staring at him, still captured in the moment, her thoughts running in circles and jumbling her mind. She didn't know what to do with them, other than compartmentalize them into small boxes and shove them deep into her mind where the rest of her compartmentalized boxes were.

And that's what she did, she boxed the feelings and shipped them deep into her mind, locking them away as she lifted her hand away from her shoulder and went to grab the package she thought she had lost.

Upon contact with the package, her hand unconsciously managed to touch his, and a spark went from her fingertips up to her mind. It was a weird sensation, and she was definitely not going to dissect it to pieces to overanalyze so she stowed it away, shrugging it off.

She didn't say anything to the Chief, not a thanks, not a word. Maybe because it wasn't necessary. But as she went to take a step away, her leg crumpled and she almost fell, however she never met the floor. Green armored hands encased her, and she knew the Chief had been the one to react, preventing her from face hugging the cold, hard floor. He might've not needed a thanks for giving her the package, but he deserved a thanks for this, because it wasn't necessary of him to catch her.

So she gathered her courage, and voiced a clear but low thanks, hoping that he caught her almost whispered words.

"Thanks." She thought she saw a nod but she was unsure, her mind too tired to pick it up. The issue at hand, brought forth the thought that she wouldn't be able to make it to the LZ in her condition, and the Chief seemed to think so to, because in the next passing second she was hefted into his arms, _bridal style._

' _Well this isn't embarrassing at all…_ ' Was her first thought, but the second was something akin to surprise and disbelief. Here she was, injured, almost hit by a rocket before she landed on the Chief and now she's getting carried by him. Not like a sack of potatoes thrown over his shoulder, but like a human being lying horizontal in his arms. Not many got the opportunity, in fact, she didn't know if _anyone_ had gotten this opportunity, to be in the arms of the savior of mankind - and she had managed to do it _twice_ in less than an hour. The realization was the last thing on her mind before her body shut itself down, and she lost consciousness, becoming oblivious to the world for the next passing hours.

When she woke, she was met with fluorescent lighting and whitewashed walls. Which meant she had landed herself in the infirmary. She wasn't surprised at the discovery.

She went to rise from her lying position on the bed but immediately noticed that it was a bad idea, the process a bit too painful for her to handle, and so her head landed back onto the pillow. Just as she was thinking that she was going to have such a boring time in the next couple hours, her ears picked up the sound of doors swooshing open, and she turned her head to try see who it was.

What her eyes saw almost made her think she had gone blind, or that her it was some kind of trick, because before her, she spotted a whole _team_ of Spartans entering the infirmary.

' _Nevermind one Spartan, now there's FOUR.'_

Deciding that she had to have a closer look, she ignored her fractured rib telling her to fuck off, and rose to a half sitting, half slumped position. Her movement brought four helmeted heads towards her direction and her eyes widened slightly at having all four _Spartans_ looking at her.

And she didn't have her helmet on to defend her facial expression - she felt oddly insecure without it. The doctor that had accompanied them in, and was standing next to the towering Spartans, coughed, and all five people glanced towards the female doctor, the attention shifting from the injured soldier to the doctor.

"These Spartans are here to ask you a few questions, if you're feeling up to it, 013." When she heard her nametag, she immediately let out a disappointed sigh. There went keeping her identity a secret. Most likely they would search her files as soon as they left and figure out the anomaly that was on her profile. And after they had done so, they would find her and question _how_. Ironically, even she didn't know the complete answer to _how,_ or even _why._

"… Sure, it's okay. I'm awake now anyway." She said, and looked over to the Spartans. The one with a familiar blue colour stepped forward, and her voice, clear and neutral, filled the room.

"We are here to ask you why you were on that base, and why you were carrying a package when we found you."

013 let out another sigh, and her body slumped even more. She thought Command had informed them, but apparently she wasn't the only one being kept in the dark. There was definitely something going on, and with Spartans involved, it didn't seem to look all too good.

"I was sent on a mission to retrieve Covenant tech on orders from Command. I was sent alone, and I hadn't been informed that you or any other marine was arriving." She answered truthfully, her eyes locking with the visor of the blue-coloured Spartan.

"Did you know the package you were assigned to bring in contained a Covenant A.I.?" With that question, 013's mind triggered. An _A.I.?_ She had been sent on that mission to steal a _fucking A.I._ from _the Covenant_? No wonder the Covenant were dead set on having her killed, she was taking an _A.I._ that most likely contained crucial information about their plans. Her anger suddenly flared up, reaching dangerous heights. Anger rolled off in waves from her now tensed form.

"I was sent on a mission to retrieve a _Covenant A.I.?_ And they hadn't bothered to inform me about that before I was sent on a damn _suicidal_ mission, not to mention _alone?_ Only that I apparently wasn't alone, because on my way back I was met with _you guys_ and a whole squadron of UNSC marines dishing it out with the Covenant. Is there something else I _haven't_ been informed about?"

Her sudden reaction in anger caused the doctor to take a step back, her eyes wide. But 013 was too angry to acknowledge that she was scaring the personnel half to death with her temper. Her life had been on the stake when she was sent in, with minimal odds of survival, yet when she had almost accomplished her mission, there were Spartans and marines battling in the same base as her. She had _all_ rights to be angry, as well as feeling betrayed. Command had played her, and played her _good_ , if the wrecked state she was in was any indication.

She inhaled air to her lungs in heaving breaths, her anger simmering and her eyes on the brink of tears. She ignored the pain of her body, because the psychological pain was so much worse, as she rose fully from her bed, her hand clenching the side of it as her feet met with the cold floor of the room.

The Spartans before her all glanced towards their leader, the three of them seeming unsure how to handle her in her state. But she didn't care at the moment, because she was stuck with the fact that Command seemingly wanted to get rid of her, which she originally thought was too bizarre but was now turning out to be a very likely possibility. She ignored the zaps of pain and went to take a step when the doctor yelled out, having come over 013's burst of anger towards her.

"013, you shouldn't be up and moving, _especially_ not walking!" But 013 disregarded the doctor's words, her angry glare enough to shut the doctor up.

" _I don't CARE._ I'm going to go right up to Command and ask them why _the hell_ they lack brain cells!"

She took an unsteady step forward, followed by another as she slowly made her way over to the door. But she was hindered, a green armored hand shooting out to grab her, however she twisted away from it, dead set on reaching her designation. But, the hand just grabbed onto her left arm instead, pulling her backwards into an armored chest.

"You are not fit to be moving, you can deal with Command later." The dismissive tone of the Chief was the final strike for her, for her tears were sent over the edge, them silently trailing over her cheeks before dripping onto the floor in small splashes.

"They _tricked_ me! Let me _go,_ I'm seeing Command _right_ now." 013 argued, but the Chief was having none of it. He quickly dismissed his team, and shooed out the doctor, all which quickly left the room, leaving her alone with Master Chief.

"Why are you doing this? You get nothing from hindering me to go to Command, or sending them out." She argued, pointing her finger towards the now closed door. The Chief however, didn't respond, instead he hefted her up from the floor, and brought her back to the bed. He seated her on the edge of it, her feet dangling in the air, her legs too short to reach down. But, only because she was back to square one, didn't mean it distinguished her fighting, and she tried to bypass him several times.

Finally, in what turned out to be her last attempt, he placed one hand on either side of her, locking her in. She let out a frustrated sound at having been caged, not liking it in the least, but then the words from the Chief cut through her veil of anger, making her eyes widen and her breath calm itself from its quick in-and exhales.

"013, there is little point in you walking up to Command and question them about the mission. You're staying here, and that is final." 013 stared into his visor, her eyes completely readable and open for interpretation. She swallowed down most of her anger, letting it go, but before she could completely let it fade, she had to ask the Chief on last thing:

"But will you and your team look into it, or will you leave me here to think myself to death?"

The words sparked something within the Chief, and he suddenly became reminded of a time back when he still had Cortana with him. She had said what this soldier before him almost had said, but in a different context – she had explained to him the reason why A.I.s go rampant, because they _think themselves to death_.

His jaw subconsciously clenched shut. The girl before him, had so much of Cortana's fiery spirit, and he wasn't liking it. It kept reminding him of his failure in saving her, in taking _care_ of her. Instead, she had sacrificed herself - to save _him._

As if Cortana was still with him, a little voice in his head whispered to him.

 _Maybe you should save this girl here from the same fate as me, don't let her think herself to death, Chief._

He almost let out a frustrated sigh, but reigned it in before it could escape. His steel blue eyes shifted back to the girl before him, and he knew exactly what he was going to say. He figured it had something to do with redemption, to at least do something _right,_ for Cortana's sake, and maybe even to some extent – his.

"I promise."


	4. Chapter 4 - Classified Introductions

Chapter four's now out, hoo-rah! Since I've left all of you in the dark about the OC, this chapter is dedicated to a wider background story to who exactly she is. However, it doesn't explain _everything,_ since you know, that'd sorta, kinda be spoiling the plot.

Shout-out to the favs, the followers and the reviewers!

 **hannahleep123 -** Well, here's for you!

 **HaloFnatic -** Thanks, dude, that's pretty heartwarming to hear, although I'm pretty sure parts of the plot can be edited, and of course there's spelling mistake. My bad for that, but those happen, we're simple human beings after all. No one is perfect.

 **Guest 1 -** Keep on reading, I'm happy you enjoy it so much!

 **Disclaimer:** _I don't own Halo, but surely if I did, I'd be rich, and I would stop all them haters that are calling the franschise to come to an end. Quit, yo._

 **P.S.** If you like Emile just as much as me from Team Noble, go read my two-shot, I bet you're gonna sit at the edge of your seats.

* * *

 **Chapter Four – _Classified Introductions_**

As soon as the Chief had left, 013 collapsed onto the bed, her head spinning from both pain and disbelief. She was having a hard time coming to an understanding, to believe that _that,_ referring to the recent couple of minutes that had passed, had actually _just_ happened - it was barley comprehensible for her tired mind, it working overtime to both acknowledge the truth and to keep her eyes from being closed shut in her defiance of wanting to stay awake rather than succumb to sleep, which during some days, was her worst enemy and self-proclaimed nemesis.

Somehow, she had just gotten the one and only _Master Chief_ to make a promise to her that he'd look in the suspicious activity that Command was currently conducting under their noses, with the help of his team no less. It was no wonder that her brain was nearly calling it quits. It was an accomplishment of a lifetime, to get the Chief to make a _promise._ However, there was one thing she couldn't help but doubt in the aftermath after he left, and that was that his team might not be as... _lenient,_ in wanting to extend their help to someone as insignificant as her, not after having embarrassed both herself and their leader by literally crashing right into him. In addition with spectators watching the whole scene play out.

She let out a deep sigh as she shifted her body to lie on her left side, relieving her injured shoulder from some of the pressure. It was true about her being insignificant to them, for she wasn't part of their ranks, although she wasn't part of _any_ rank, really. Which made her hold no value whenever people asked her to state her rank.

It was because she had none.

In other terms, she wasn't important.

' _Except to ONI…'_ She sourly thought, her mind reminding her of her history with them. Ever since they first showed up in her life, it all had gone downhill from there, becoming nothing but a complicated mess. She had little remembrance of how exactly it had happened, the fragmented memories containing several black columns where memory used to be, but she knew well enough from piecing together the bits and pieces of the fragmented information that they hadn't been all too gentle in ripping her away from her soldier peers only to put her in containment for testing purposes.

They kept telling her she was a drafted candidate, fitting their curriculum, whenever she spoke up and asked them why they specifically picked _her_ for candidacy. She never actually got to know the true purpose as to why they chose her for their little experiment, not until she decided to dig through their files on their data base.

Which was a decision she had come to regret, even up to this day.

 **-Flashback-**

 _Aggravated and irritated to the point of no longer being compliant enough to take their consistent, monotone, and not to mention repetitive, words as a fitting answer to her question, for she knew they were only spouting bullshit, she made the decision to hack into ONI's data base during night when shifts were fewer and the monitoring was easier to fool. All she had to do was use her clearance to the section F corridor, knock the patrolling guard unconscious in the blind spot of the camera, which was in the far off corner, and use his card to access the computer surveillance room. She scrolled through the base's cameras, finding the necessary ones and place a small virus into their systems so that when she walked by, they wouldn't record her presence, since they would be too busy scrubbing the virus from their systems, which, in technical details, only was a recorded loop of their filmed areas, spiced with a code preventing the cameras from eradicating it all too quickly._

 _She quickly made her way over to the C-section corridors, which were located three floors under, and walked in the direction of the data base room, carrying her laptop in hand along with a connection chord so that she could establish a connection from the server to her computer, simplifying the whole process instead of having to manually find the connection port, fiddle with the cables to reconnect them to others to direct the data system's security away from the files that she was targeting before finally hacking through the rest of the security measurements. With her computer and the cord, she would only have to type a few specific commands in the system's command center, before proceeding to disable the red flags, and then backtrack to them to disable the second set of red flags._

 _But, as she was about to go through the files containing information about Project: HYBRID, which was the program she had been selected to become part of, her screen lit up, warning her of an A.I. that was onto her tracks. She cursed silently to herself. She didn't know that ONI had incorporated an A.I. into their data system, and now she was going to have a hard time in luring the A.I. off her tracks._

 _She wasn't sure how long she sat inside the server room, hunched over her computer, backtracking and unlocking files and throwing them at it to get the A.I. to stop following her. She figured it was more than an hour. But finally, in what she thought would be her last attempt before she would have to disconnect from the server in order to not let it catch her, the A.I. stopped, and the red flashing in the upper corner of her screen disappeared. She frowned, her brow furrowing, as she silently wondered why it suddenly just stopped. And she got her answer soon enough, just as she glanced towards her screen to see what type of file she had at random accessed during her escapade._

 _When reading the headline of the file, a shiver ran down her back, following her spine as her eyes widened in surprise and disbelief. The file she had stumbled upon, was none other but the file containing personal information about the almost mythic Spartan team – the Blue Team. The A.I. probably didn't have clearance to enter, and she herself even hesitated in clicking on it, ironically thinking that she wasn't authorized to read it, even though she was unauthorized to be inside the system at all. But she took a deep breath, steeling herself, before proceeding with clicking it open anyway._

 _Her eyes scanned over the information that was written, but the more she read, the more she cringed. What she discovered, was that the Blue Team consisted of the infamous Spartan II's, which had apparently been kidnapped at young age, replaced with flash clones that died later on due to medical issues, to become the superhuman soldiers that everyone were referring them as. They had been augmented, just like her, and then fitted with specialized armor to fit their augmented bodies' needs, as well as to sustain huge amount of damage in order to constantly fight at the frontlines. But all in all, the Blue Team were what was left of the Spartan II's, as their kind, which were the first type of successfully modified soldiers, were the ones that saved mankind from termination several years back, and they also fought against the Covenant during the Fall of Reach, resulting in the mark II Spartans dwindling down to just a remaining few when the battle of Reach was over._

 _She gulped, her heart aching from what she had just read. The soldiers were of course human, but according to the information in the file, they had been stripped off their humanity in order to function like machines, leaving out everything that related to compassion, feelings and emotion, which essentially meant that the part that identified them as human, discerning the biological terms, was no longer present._

 _She stared emptily at her screen, the blue light illuminating the protruding parts of her face; her nose, her small cheekbones, the ridge of her brow. The light reflected within her dormant eyes, which were currently stuck in a staring contest with the computer screen opposite her._

 _She didn't know what to do with the information, whether or not she should store it away or just try to forget about it. But, she inwardly knew she never really could terminate the newly acquired information, so she went with the former option, simply storing it away. She quickly glanced towards the clock to see how much time she had left before a new set of patrol would come, and immediately noticed that she didn't have much time left at all. So she hurriedly exited the Blue Team's file, shrugging off the sorrowful mood, and made way to what she was originally supposed to find out about._

 _She clicked her way to Project: HYBRID, and opened the file. She was feeling almost giddy at finally getting to know the true purpose behind her candidacy, however, that giddiness quickly disappeared as she came to read the minimum amount of paragraphs written within the file._

 _It felt like a bucket of cold water had just been dumped onto her, and she instinctively twitched backwards, her body following the primal act of fight-or-flight response. It was the only response it knew of, without having its mind backing it up with more complicated thought processes, it having shut down when it retained information that caused it to short-circuit._

 _Stamped across her picture within the file were the words 'FAILURE' written in bright, bold red. And below, stating the Project's progression, the words 'Terminated' filled the blank space. Her mind was reeling, unable to comprehend the information it was given through her retinas. The file described little, but the thing it always kept referring back to, was how the project was a failed experiment. Despite having put money on her training and having her augmented to strengthen her body in order to complete the harder missions normal soldiers weren't capable of, they apparently thought of her as a failure. She didn't know what exactly it meant, whether or not the true purpose behind the project was a failure or if they meant she herself was the cause. Either way, she felt like her world had been ripped from under her feet, much like how a child would rip a mat from under its sibling to cause them to fall. She had followed every order they had given, and never spoken out of terms, yet they still deemed it, or her, as a damn failure._

 _Short to say, the day after the discovery she couldn't be found anywhere on the base, nor outside within its premises. The only thing she had left behind, was a simple and short letter to ONI:_

 _Shocking discovery, I'd say, after having digging through your data files. Five years, ONI. Five. Years. I served in perfect service, never disobeying your orders despite the varying difficulty, and never spoken out of line._

 _But my repayment for it all?_

 _Ironically, the only thing I never made it become, every mission a success, was the one thing I was stamped with._

 _Failure._

 _I'll make it simple and easy for you, and personally remove myself from your data files. Project: HYBRID never existed, and resolutely, never did I._

 _Spartan-ODST-013._

 _P.S. You never disclosed why the Project was called HYBRID, but I do know now. Part Spartan, part ODST – it makes a powerful soldier, but a lonely one. Presumably, I won't fit in on either side now, which I have you to thank for. Guess I'm living up to my namesake, aren't I?_

 **-Flashback End-**

The flashback had 013 staring emptily into space from her spot on the bed. It had been so long ago since she thought of her escape from the ONI base, having covered up all her tracks and deleted the whole Project's existence. However, she had kept a copy of the files with her, as a reminder of her past. It was also the _only_ remaining file that contained her first name, all other records deleted or just scripted without her first name, it being excluded since none other but she knew of it. Everyone simply knew her by her nametag 013, or just called her The Unlucky Thirteen, her nickname in short being TuT:e (Tute).

Few knew her full title of Spartan-ODST-013, and the reason was simple - so they wouldn't come asking questions about why she had both titles. Unfortunately though, most ODSTs _did_ know of her full title, all due to one smartass ODST team leader that specifically _despised_ _her_ with a passion, which caused them to leave her out of their tight little group. And rather than calling her Tute, they reverted to name-calling her Tutu in an attempt to be condescending. At first she had taken it personally, as she didn't quite understand why they hated her so much. She hadn't done anything wrong, and before they managed to find out she was part augmented Spartan, they had treated her as an equal.

But that quickly faded when the truth of her title came out, and it marked the time when the cold shoulders and filthy glares began. Some even thought of her as _worse_ than a Spartan, because she was affiliated with the ODST type of soldier aside from her Spartan-side. Which in other terms _didn't_ make her a hybrid, but rather an _abomination,_ according to their opinions.

She gritted her teeth at the ODST soldiers' shitty behaviors, none of them were really worthy of even being _called_ a soldier, for they were definitely not acting the part. All they were, were trigger-happy _fools,_ thinking battle was some sort of _game._

Her anger started up, and she had to divert her thoughts to another topic, lest she would break something else, aside from her bones.

But once again, just like a magnet, she came to think of how the ODSTs hated anything and anyone that was related to the term _Spartan_ , them directing volatile glares full of distain upon the affiliated - unless it was their Commanding officer, or any other that ranked higher. Although, she _did_ rank higher than them, technically she was just under the rank of Spartan, but they completely disregarded that specific fact, because they knew she couldn't do much about it. She couldn't strip them off their soldier status, nor could she go to Command and rat them out, since Command ironically held disdain for her as well.

Most likely it was due to the lack of information in her file, and her odd name, Spartan-ODST-013, but mostly it was the five years which had no recorded data at all. The five year blank was a bright blight that had them wondering just what the hell happened during those five years. And of course, they had questioned her about it; about her name and about the missing information, but she lied through her teeth, telling them that she didn't know why she was named as Spartan-ODST-013, and about the missing five years, she had been sent on a scout recon mission that was located at the borders of one of the Covenant main bases while she worked for ONI.

Technically though, she wasn't _exactly_ lying, she was just manipulating the truth to fit her purpose, because she _had_ been on such a mission, however the duration had only been 6 months, and not five years. It was either that, or spilling the beans about Project: HYBRID, which was an immediate no-go.

But despite her answering the questions, they went snooping, searching the data bases of the whole UNSC and ONI to find anything related to her namesake, to anything that would help explain or confirm her story. Alas, the found nothing, because she had deleted all traces of existence of the experiment she had partaken in, and the personnel connected to the Project had either been terminated or silenced in exchange for money.

The only one that truly accepted her for _her,_ and didn't see her as just some sort of object,was Captain Lasky of the _Infinity,_ the ship she was currently serving explained why she was allowed to serve _at all_ , with such a suspicious service record. Lasky had huge influence over HIGHCOM and Command, and with a little convincing from his side, she was reinstated as SCPO, Senior Chief Petty Officer. However, her reinstatement hadn't come without risk. If she was out of bound, or compromised absolutely _anything,_ the consequences wouldn't only be hers, but also Captain Lasky's. He knew of this, yet he had fully agreed - without any hesitation.

Since she was personally reinstated by Captain Lasky, she was made to be his personal assistant, soldier-wise, and aside from Sarah Palmer, who was the Senior Officer of the Spartan IV-program and second-assistant of Lasky. The two were on agreeable terms, neither friends nor enemies, but she, just as every other soldier, was slightly suspicious of her, all due to her title of Spartan-ODST. At this, she inwardly sighed. People always judged too fast based on what their eyes were seeing, and they never bothered to look underneath the underneath, simply taking facts as they were presented. It made people short-minded, and insufferably _judgmental._

Although she was forever grateful to Captain Lasky. He was to her the father figure she never had, having been an orphan at early age. If she ever needed to alleviate anything that was weighting _just_ a bit too heavy on her shoulders, she knew she could turn to Lasky for comfort.

 **Locker Rooms, Section; Lower levels, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

Outside one of the many lower levels' locker rooms of the UNSC _Infinity,_ stood Blue Team, the three awaiting for their leader to appear, him having dismissed them from the room to talk in private with soldier 013. They were all mulling over her nametag, since the only thing it contained was _numbers_. No name, no title. Approaching footsteps brought the three Spartans out of their thoughts, and they stood at attention when Master Chief came into view. He waved at them, dismissing their protocol behavior.

"Not necessary, Spartans." He said in a low voice. They went back to their positions, Frederic-104 leaning against the wall alongside Linda-058, whereas Kelly-087 was the only one to stand straight, excluding Master Chief, who had his arms crossed.

"So what do we make of the soldier- 013 was her name?" Frederic asked, directing the question to the rest of his team.

"Suspicious. She hasn't disclosed her name besides her nametag, and she was carrying modified armor. Very few have exclusively-made armor, those consisting of either Spartans or ODSTs." Kelly said, as she turned her heard towards Chief.

"Did she say anything else to you while you were in there?" The only thing she got in reply was a headshake from him, which in other words translated to _no_.

"Hm, I'd say we check her up through the data systems. There's no harm in just looking around." Frederic voiced, and everyone besides Chief hummed in agreement. But, then came a very astounding reply from their leader, one which none of them had been prepared for.

"I made her a promise." He said, his form now tense, his back ramrod straight.

"You what? A promise? You don't _do_ promises, Chief?" Frederic countered, having slight surprise lace his words.

"Well, he does now." Came Linda's sudden reply, her voice deadpan as she pushed off from her leaning position.

"Let's go check the system, we'll get our answers there."

The team of Spartans proceeded to march their way to one of the closed-off computer consoles, two going away in order to surveil and keep an eye on the surroundings in case some wayward individual headed towards their location, while the other two remained close at the console. Kelly started up the console, the screen blinking before stabilizing and she started hacking her way through, disarming the alarms, and avoiding triggering the A.I. that she knew was within the system. She didn't want to waste time in convincing the ship A.I. Roland that what she was doing was for good purposes. Chief stood off the side next to her, observing the hacking process on the screen, his visor reflecting the several sections of codes on the display.

Soon enough, they were relatively out of the hazardous zone, having finally broken through the firewalls. Safe to say, they were at free reign to search classified files without further danger. Kelly quickly typed in 013's name as Chief braced himself on the edge of the console's platform to read the file alongside her.

There was only one hit in the system when the search concluded, however as they read its head title, they lifted their eyebrows, having definitely _not_ predicted _that._

It read _Spartan-ODST-013, classified files_.

"A Spartan ODST?" They clicked in onto the file, and were met with information that didn't exactly… contain much.

"There is nothing stating why she is titled as Spartan-ODST, and there is a five year blank in her service records. The rest is just her accomplished missions and previous locations where she has been stationed. Chief, this kind of file… Someone's been messing with it. Five years of service doesn't just disappear unless someone _wants_ it to disappear. I think we have a few more questions to ask your fellow soldier." Kelly remarked, shrugging her shoulders as she directed her helmeted head towards her leader. Chief however, was busy trying to piece things together, and he pointedly ignored Kelly's wording of stating 013 to be _'his'_ soldier.

The mission she had been sent on, one consisting of a suicidal rating, alongside the apparent order of none-allowed back-up or any sort of assistance, seemed very likely to have a connection with the missing information on her profile. And to him, it seemed Command had a personal vendetta towards the soldier, whom obviously was hiding something. He figured that Command didn't know, or perhaps they did; that whatever it was they may have discovered, had them deeming her as a too big of a potential threat and made them go through with the decision of trying to get rid of her via 'accidental' KIA on-mission. Or perhaps she was too big of a wild-card to keep her around, the risk of her going AWOL or betraying the UNSC by giving classified information to Rebel Covenant or any other threat, too big and thus, it would be easier to just terminate her. The many different scenarios were causing a building headache and Chief let out a silent sigh.

"Call the others to meet up at the locker rooms." He said as he pushed off from the console, heading towards the direction they previous came from. He heard Kelly speak on their Team-COM, relying the orders.

Five minutes later, Blue Team had assembled outside the locker rooms, beforehand scanning the area to make sure there was no other presence but them nearby.

"Alright Chief, what did you discover?" Frederic asked, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"We discovered her title, and a five year blank in her service records. She's called Spartan-ODST-013." Kelly said, knowing that Chief rather had her to answering, even though he had been right alongside her.

"Nothing else? Nothing explaining that she has _two_ soldier titles combined into one, and still no first name?"

"Nothing else. There was nothing that explained her title or the missing information. From what I gather, there is something else at work here. It seems to be connected to why she was a lone soldier on that mission, with no back-up to aid her. Possibly Command wanted to get rid of her."

The Spartans thought the matter over, reflecting on the barely additional info they had on the soldier.

"So… Are we going to question her further, or what's the plan?"

"We are going to be on stand-by, and gather more information from the sidelines. Kelly, see if you can access ONI's data system from here. Frederic, Linda, refrain from questioning the soldier." Master Chief ordered, as he turned to walk to his dorm, ready for a night's rest.

"Hey Chief, what was that promise you made to her?" Frederic questioned before he completely disappeared from view.

"To find out what Command is up to."

"Well then, guess we're off to a start then, now aren't we?" Frederic replied, while Chief just continued on-route to his dorm, seeing no purpose in answering his teammate's rhetorical question.

* * *

Aaaand there you go! Tell me what you think!


	5. Chapter 5 - Obscured Revelations

I'm so sorry for the long wait, guys! Almost a _month_ that you had to wait, and I take all the blame. The month has just been a bit busy, with life being inconsiderate to my wishes of just wanting to write, but nah, it just flips me the finger and tells me to do other stuff. Anyone else who can relate?

Anyway. The updates might come a bit irregularly the next month or so, because all the finals and tests and all are coming up. I mean, we're in frikkin April tomorrow, I'm still stuck in December, 2015. Or actually, I'm stuck at year 2014 but whatever, that's just me.

Shout outs to those that favved, reviewed (which you should do, because everyone should know a review makes the writer happy and gets her mojo on and produces chapters faster), and followed! You guys make me happy, for reals.

 **Disclaimer:** _I don't own Halo, even though I kinda wish I did._

* * *

 **Chapter Five – _Obscured Revelations_**

Two weeks had gone by, the third week already halfway through, yet inside the Infirmary's white walls, 013 was still lying in her bed, waiting to get discharged from the place. It wouldn't be until the end of the week that the doctor would finally let her leave, her injuries nearly healed. But it didn't help settle her grouchy mood, she was still irritated and antsy at the fact that there was _three days_ _left_ until discharge. There was less than nothing to do in what she secretly called solitary confinement, the Infirmary just missing its straitjackets. She never really liked the Infirmary, and for good reasons. Essentially it was just a waiting room where soldiers go to await whether or not they would be granted another chance at life or if they were simply unlucky enough to join Hades.

Her mood quickly changed, her eyes downcast when contemplating all those she knew that never made it back out the doors once they had entered. She was too deep in her thoughts to notice the swooshing of doors, and it wasn't until a voice spoke up that she was pulled out from her mind.

"What's with the sad-face, Tutes?" Came a voice from her right and 013 looked up, only to smile when she spotted Jeff, one of her closest friends, standing next to her - or rather, her bedframe.

"Jeff! I didn't hear you come in… So for how long did you stand there this time, creepily watching me without saying a word?"

"Not too long, honestly. I figure that you're already in a lot of misery since you're in the Infirmary. That can't be fun." He smirked as he crossed his arms and leaned against the side of 013's bed.

"Yeah, no. How considerate of you. Never knew you could care, you know-with the lack of a heart and all."

"Hey! That's rude, you know I have a fully functional heart! I wouldn't stand here otherwise, you halfwit. But I do have the reputation being a heartbreaker… Can't argue with that, so thanks for the indirect compliment you just gave me. You're so kind." Jeff said, his smirk widening. 013 just groaned loudly, because she knew she'd never be able to win the verbal tennis match - she never did. Jeff was a master of the trade, and she had gotten her ass verbally kicked too many times before. She now knew what _not_ to say whenever he was in the vicinity, or else there would be a new world war starting up, the grenades being words instead.

"So, besides paying me a casual visit, what's the true purpose of you coming in here?" 013 asked, her eyebrow quirking upwards. She watched as Jeff awkwardly scratched his neck, and her mood immediately soured. That wasn't a good sign.

' _So he's the bearer of bad news, should've known.'_ She thought to herself.

"Alright, spit it out, Jeff. What's up?" She asked, a sigh coming out from between her lips. She was in a testy mood, having enough on her plate as it was. But people seemed to like to add even more onto her apparent overflowing plate, inconsiderate of what was already lying on it.

"Well… Don't hate me, Tutes, 'aight? I'm just relying what they told me." He started, shifting awkwardly on his feet.

"Go on."

"Command sorta kinda took you off the roster. They're conveying an investigation."

"… _What?"_ Her friend glanced towards her, and saw the anger written across her face. Damn right she was angry. First the ' _non-suicide'_ mission, then the _Spartans_ , and now Command was ordering an _investigation_ about her to be done? Not to mention she was _off_ the mission roster? What else kind of crap did they want throw her way? The only thing missing would be a rocket to the face - which for the record almost happened, so technically they had already been there and done that. Although, they did have the option of throwing her out the air-lock with them still. She betted her soul that their fingers were probably itching for the opportunity.

' _They might as well do it, with all this yellow tape they're plastering onto me.'_ She seethed silently, her brow furrowing further, a very evident frown now on her face.

"So you're telling me… That Command is ordering an investigation, cause, what?"

"I don't know, they didn't tell me, but it has something to do with your last mission I think. And the Spartans were present when they announced it. Because they had their whole suit getup on, now I'm including the helmets too, I couldn't see their reactions, but they didn't seem too happy 'bout it. I don't know whether if it's because they're part of the investigation or if you've suddenly gained some new Spartan friends that I didn't know about. It's your duty as my best friend to keep me updated about your life, but right now you're kinda failing, Tutes. Whatever should I do about that...?" Jeff ended on a dramatic note, his wrist covering his eyes, and 013 had a hard time keeping her mask from cracking. She wanted to be angry, not laughing or joking about the whole shitstorm Command had conjured.

But just as her failing duty in being Jeff's best friend, she failed to keep the disguise in place, and a smile soon crept up on her lips.

" _Damnit_ Jeff, I'm trying to be angry here, but you're making it damn difficult!" She replied frustratingly, and punched him in the arm for causing her this misery. He groaned and winced as he rubbed the spot where she had just punched him, all the while sending her the evil eye - which wasn't much. She could barely call it a glare, it was so poorly executed.

"For a girl you punch like a man. That fucking hurt, Tutes." He complained, but 013 just nodded and smiled wickedly.

"That's what you get. But seriously though, an _investigation?_ The hell have I done to rattle their ugly bones?"

"'Don't kill the messenger', ever heard of that saying? No? Well then let me solve that problem; _don't kill the messenger._ I want to live at least another day, you owe me that much."

"Hm, I might. But don't avoid the question, tell me everything you know."

"I don't know much, Tutes. As I said, it's connected to your last mission. That A.I. you took from the Covenant, they can't crack it. It won't open up to 'em. Maybe they think you did something to it. That you're a Covvie spy, but I mean c'mon, isn't that kinda farfetched, even for them…?"

013 clenched her jaw shut upon hearing the possible accusation. A Covenant spy? Great. When she was out of this Infirmary, they were going to get an earful of her opinion, before she would tell them to shove their _own_ opinions up where the sun didn't shine.

And now; they officially earnt the role of being a bag of dicks.

' _I'm going to have to talk to Lasky when I'm free from this damn prison…'_ She thought to herself. She thumped her head back against the bed and closed her eyes. It all was very tiring, having to deal with Command constantly. They never gave up on agitating her. They never got off her case, and she barely had room to breathe as it is.

"Jeff, the hell am I supposed to do…" She muttered quietly. Jeff patted her shoulder, a sad smile on his lips.

"I don't know, but hang in there, Tutes. I got your back, and I think the Spartans do too, since they aren't happy with Command themselves. Speaking of Spartans, I think I saw Master Chief heading this way before, but I don't know where he went…-"

"-Master Chief came by?"

"No, I said he came this _way._ Why- _Ooooh_ , I see how it is, you're interested in him." Jeff said smugly, and 013 stared at him in shock, her eyes wide and mouth agape.

' _Interested in Master Chief, WHAT? No I... I….'_ She quickly snapped her jaw shut and stared accusingly at her friend. Why was he challenging her with bringing up Master Chief?

"No, I'm not. He's a friend, if even that. He promised to help me find out why Command are acting like dicks, that's it. There's no more to it."

"Oh, but you seem awfully offended, and you're providing me with quite the explanation, _just_ to convince me otherwise. I think you're lying. And besides, since when did Master Chief promise stuff to people he doesn't know?" Jeff stated, his eyebrow quirking. 013 directed her gaze down to her lap, because she honestly didn't know what to say. She admitted to herself that she had always found the Spartan kind of interesting, that there was something about him… Something that made her think that on the inside, he was missing something, a piece of himself perhaps, despite the confidence he always emitted. But was that enough to call it an interest? A _romantic_ interest?

… Maybe it was.

"I don't know, Jeff, you're not right, but you're not wrong either… I don't know _what_ I feel. I barely even know him, yet I find out that I apparently have an interest towards him. How is that even possible? It shouldn't be possible. Hell, I've only seen him twice, how can that count as anything?" 013 groaned. She drew a hand through her hair, all the while trying to figure out the puzzle that was laid out before her. Rather, the puzzle _Jeff_ so kindly laid out for her. Because he brought it up, her mind wouldn't stop thinking about it, wouldn't stop thinking about Master Chief, and her connection to him.

What little connection they had, though. She only had his promise to go by, and the fact that she _crashed_ into him during her mission. She still felt stupid about it, the whole crash-thing, but it wasn't like she had done it on purpose. _She_ wasn't the one wielding a faulty rocket launcher, so technically, it was the marine who did it.

But despite all that - she was still the one that used the Master Chief as a cushion, or more like a _landing pad_ because cushions aren't exactly made from _metal,_ from her airborne trip.

MJOLNIR armor was definitely _not_ _close_ to being called a cushion, in fact, the armor had actually _helped_ in adding to her collection of bruises, all varying from deep purple to green and yellow. She felt like the victim from a paintball fight.

013 felt a sudden headache coming on, her temples pulsating with slight pain, and another groan escaped her. She glanced towards her friend who had yet to say anything, although it wasn't like he had to. Her reaction spoke for itself, and she could still see that smug look on his face. She sent him a glare of her own, and he lifted his hands in defeat.

"Sometimes I hate you, Jeff, for bringing up this kind of stuff. You always manage to spot the details that no one cares to notice. It's a good trait, but right now I'm hating you for having it, because you suck." Jeff quirked his brow before replying.

"I'm all about destroying people's lives with those tiny details, Tutes, including yours. I know you love me though, deep, _deep_ inside that black heart of yours. Anyway, I've got to get going, or else my ass is gonna get fried. Do you know the agony of being a marine under my Commander? It sucks _bigtime_ , kinda how you feel 'cause you're stuck in here. Take care, Tutes, I'll try come visit tomorrow, if not, at least _try_ to survive without me." Jeff smirked and patted her shoulder again before rising and walking out of the Infirmary. He sent a wave over his shoulder before the doors shut behind him.

013 only followed him with her eyes as he left, and when he was out of view, she returned to staring at the ceiling.

' _So that happened.'_ She thought, and idly counted the screws in the ceiling.

' _He just had to bring Master Chief up, huh… What am I going do about it all…? Why can't I continue living in ignorance? Ignorance is bliss.'_

She let out a defeated sigh, and stuffed the thoughts of the Spartans and Master Chief to the back of her mind. She was going to become insane if she kept thinking about it.

 **Three Days Later; the Infirmary, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

The remaining three days passed by in agonizingly slow pace, however today was the day she was finally getting discharged. 013 was at the moment sitting on the edge of her bed, her feet dangling over the edge. The blonde doctor who was responsible for her care had walked to another joint room to fetch a roll of bandage for her to take with her. Just in case, she had said, while sending her a stern glare. 013 had just shrugged and sent the woman a lopsided smile.

"I'm not one of your troublemakers, Doc, you know me, I'm pretty careful." The doctor however, had just frowned and shook her head.

"No, you certainly aren't the worst, 013, but you do end up here more often than I'd prefer."

The woman came back, holding the bandage roll in her hand. She passed it over to 013 before resuming to type onto her pad. 013 guessed it was probably notes about her discharge, although she didn't care too much. She was just happy that she would finally leave the wannabe solitary confinement.

And hopefully she wouldn't return for _at least_ another couple of months.

It did look that way, since she was off the mission roster. There was little chance she would sustain a gunshot wound, or _any_ type of wound, since she was aboard a ship that was currently floating in the middle of space and where the closest planet lied lightyears away.

013's mood soured slightly when she recalled the conversation she had with Jeff three days prior, where she first heard of her _'ban'_ towards missions. The remembrance of it all deepened the crease between her brows and she made a sound of frustration. It felt like Jeff had delivered her a death warrant rather than the information about what Command was planning while she was momentarily out of the loop, having been stuck at the Infirmary.

' _Banned my ass.'_

If she wasn't allowed to go on missions, what was she going to do to occupy herself? There was barely _anything_ to do. The only thing that she could think of was to simply camp the gym.

For she was most definitely not going to visit Master Chief and bother him nor his team with her presence.

Absolutely hell no.

The doctor then turned to her, having finished her typing on her pad, and told her she was free to go. 013 was out of the room within seconds. However, she did step back in to wave goodbye and thank the doctor, who only quirked an eyebrow at her behavior before waving her off.

013 stretched her back as she walked, the joints popping. A relieved sigh left her and she smiled ruefully.

' _Freedom at last.'_

She headed to her room to pick up her duffelbag and all the necessary things before walking in the direction of the gym. She met a few staff members of the _Infinity_ on her way there,and though most just glanced at her, they did greet her and welcomed her back from her relatively long duration at the Infirmary.

She arrived at the gym, only to discover that no one was there, and her brow crinkled in confusion. She glanced at the clock hung up on the wall above the doors of the gym, and she then understood. It was 4 o'clock at night, of course no one was up at this time. Except a select few, since the ship needed constant monitoring. The empty gym was good for her, because she didn't really feel up for any company at the moment. She rather be left alone and just do her stuff without any outside interruptions.

013 performed a full body workout, 2 hours just flying by. The tiredness in her muscles after a good day's workout was a wonderful feeling to her, she felt she had done something useful, and that she wasn't just lazing about. Besides, she had been cramped up inside the Infirmary for far too long, and her muscles had complained from the lack of movement. Lying in a hospital bed wasn't just her cup of tea, it was pretty far from it.

Suddenly 013 heard commotion outside the gym doors, and she rose from her lying position on the bench, glancing towards the doors. Not a moment later did her least favourite objects step into the room.

The ODSTs.

' _Fuck, what are they doing here?_ ' She muttered to herself as she straightened her back. She kept her eyes on them, her brows furrowed into a frown.

The leader of the ODST pack stopped mid-step when he noticed her sitting there, and a wicked smile spread across his face.

"Look at that, guys, Tutu is back. Where you been? Did you call it quits for a while there? Couldn't bear the shame of knowing that you're not worth shit? But now you're here anyway, at this early hour. Thought you could escape us, huh. Too bad, we're here now." He sneered, and 013 grinded her teeth. She repeated a mantra inside her mind; _just ignore them_ , over and over, or else she would spew out curses that would put even a sailor to shame.

"Cat got your tongue, Tutu? You have nothing to say to us? Not even a hi? Not going to mention that you missed us?" He continued, his smile taunting. His buddies behind him snickered, and 013 narrowed her eyes. She had had enough.

"Why should I tell you shit? Go back to the hole you came from." 013 sneered in reply as she laid back on the bench, intent on continuing the last part of her workout.

However, the ODSTs decidedly weren't done with her yet, as they approached her lying form.

"You don't ignore us, Tutu, we ignore _you._ Don't think that we're just gonna let you off the hook." The leader of the pack said, as he leaned over her. 013 just glanced at him before pulling the weights up above her chest, holding them there for a split second before lowering them back down and then repeat the same motion.

The other guys just looked on, before suddenly the weights were torn from her hands and thrown to the side. The loud _thunk_ at impact from the weights echoed around the room, and 013 rushed up to a sitting position.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing!?" She hissed at the leader, her eyes filling up with anger and resentment.

" _Now_ we're talkin'. You're a bit feisty, Tutu, you should try be more submissive. After all, that's your duty as a woman, to be submissive?" He clicked his tongue. Suddenly 013 stood up and came toe to toe with the leader, her whole body shaking from anger. He however, just looked down on her with a smug smirk, his arms crossed in front of his chest as if nothing could touch him. She poked him in said chest as she spoke, or rather, growled.

"Listen up you sexist _prick,_ I don't need to take your bullshit,or anyone else's for that matter. Why don't you take your brainless buddies over there, spin on your toes like a good ballerina and exit through those doors over there that you came from? Hm? Sounds like a _damn_ good idea to me, so go ahead, get the _fuck out!"_ 013's chest heaved from her rant as she glared daggers towards the big buffoon staring down at her. His smile had vanished during her harangue and his arms were no longer crossed. He then suddenly took a step forward, forcing her to back up, however he didn't stop in his strides. She had to continue backing until the back of her knees hit the bench behind her and she automatically sat down, having nowhere else to go. Her jaw was clenched, and even though she was still angry, she felt a prick of fear, because they were four guys against one girl. The odds weren't exactly in her favour. She swallowed the lump that was building in her throat, and forced her panicking heartbeat to slow down.

"Listen up here, don't be a condescending _bitch_ towards me, or my pals over there. You're pathetic and not to mention a _useless_ marine. You think you're part of us, part of the ODSTs because your nametag states it? No, you're _nothing_ like _us_ , you don't belong with us, and you don't belong with the Spartans _either_. Want to know why? Because you're an _abomination_. No one _wants_ you, don't you get it? You're a mistake, a flaw in the system, so why don't you act the part too, instead of trying to fit in?"

Her eyes teared up with every word he said, each and every word hitting her right in the chest as if they were hot searing daggers. They dug themselves deep, and then they were twisted around, just to cause as much pain as possible. He certainly knew what to say to make her feel just as pathetic as he said she was. She was about to reply, to tell him to just _leave,_ but she never got the chance.

"You don't decide who belongs to the Spartans, that's up to us. Now listen to the lady and get the hell out, your business here is done." Came the voice of Frederic-104. The rest of the Blue Team Spartans stood next to him, their arms crossed except for the Chief, who was at the moment heading straight towards the four ODSTs. They had their helmets on, so the ODSTs couldn't see the glare the Chief and rest of Blue Team was sending them, but they didn't have to.

They knew just from the body language of all the four Spartans. They weren't happy with what they had walked in on.

Master Chief stormed up to the leader, pulling him towards himself before shoving him away from 013, and to the direction of the door.

"You too, move." He commanded to the other three, and the foursome quickly left, fear evident on their faces. Frederic and Kelly stepped out of the way of the doors so they could leave before stepping back. Their poses relaxed and they all looked towards 013, who was still sitting on the bench.

The sound of wet dripping was the only sound that was heard during the moment of silence. However it was soon broken when 013 angrily wiped away her tears and breathed a deep breath. She hitched slightly on it before slowly exhaling and repeating the exercise.

"Sorry you had to see that…" She murmured quietly, her gaze still downcast. The Spartans look at each other before Linda then spoke up.

"You don't deserve that crap from them. You're better than them, and you sure as hell should know that you are." She said gruffly. Linda wasn't one to pay people compliments, nor did she even grant them the honor of even _speaking_ to them, but after hearing the complete _bullshit_ coming from the ODST's mouth, it had her feeling a little generous, and so she spoke her mind and told 013 what she thought of the girl. After all, the girl had humored her by flying into the Chief, it was a sight one didn't see every day. Hell, she was unsure if it'd ever happen again, so in technical terms, it was a sight of a lifetime.

013 lifted her head in surprise at hearing the brown-armored Spartan speak, and she sent her a small smile in thanks. The Spartan nodded in reply, and 013 then directed her gaze to Master Chief. Upon landing her eyes on his golden visor, she had a sudden flashback of a conversation she had with Jeff.

" _No, I said he came this way. Why-Ooooh, I see how it is, you're interested in him."_ Jeff had said when she asked if the Chief had come by while she was at the Infirmary.

" _Oh, but you seem awfully offended, and you're providing me with quite the explanation, just to convince me otherwise. I think you're lying. And besides, since when did Master Chief promise stuff to people he doesn't know?"_

Her brow slightly crinkled and she mentally shook herself free from the memory. When she came back to reality, she suddenly realized that she had been staring at Master Chief all this time, and he had his head cocked, most likely wondering what was up with her odd behavior. She smiled apologetically before drawing another breath.

' _This keeps getting more awkward by the minute.'_

"Chief… Why did you make me that promise?" She then asked, her gaze directed off to the side, because she couldn't look at him - or else she would just end up trying to read his body language, and most likely she wouldn't approve of what she discovered. She didn't notice how Master Chief was staring contemplatively down at her sitting form on the bench.

"Because Command isn't acting the way they should. The way they treated you by sending you off solo on that mission without sufficient information was wrong. It's not acceptable." He neutrally replied. 013 was quiet for a moment, before she continued her questioning. Although her shoulders had slumped a little, and she wasn't exactly sure why. It couldn't have been in disappointment.

… Could it?

"But why, I'm not important to you. I'm not part of your-"she swept her hand at the other three Spartans, "-Spartan family. And neither am I part of those disgusting shitsticks…"

"It shouldn't matter what side you belong to, any soldier should know the value of respect and honor. We are all fighting the same fight. Putting another soldier down because of his or her differences breaks the UNSC's code of conduct."

"But that's the thing - I don't _belong_ _anywhere_. You heard them, I'm an abomination, because I'm divided. You probably already know, that my nametag isn't just 013, it's actually Spartan-ODST-013. I'm just half Spartan, and half ODST. Tell me, what does it make me, if not an abomination?"

"It makes you different, exclusive. You're uncommon because there's no one else like you. In other words you're a unique individual, so you shouldn't look down on yourself just because of that. You seem to make it out as if it's just something negative, it necessarily doesn't have to be. To the contrary, actually." Frederic said, as he uncrossed his arms and walked up next to the Chief. He knelt down to her, and did what she never would've expected.

He took off his helmet.

The sound of the hydraulics system disconnecting had 013's eyes widen, and she was almost afraid to keep her gaze intact on his kneeling form. Was she really allowed to see his face? He's a _Spartan_ , doesn't the secret identity come with the job description?

The helmet slowly lifted and was then placed on his thigh, and her grey eyes met with the most brilliant shade of green she had ever seen. Her eyes quickly studied his appearance, all from his short military cut black hair, to the scars across his right eyebrow, left cheek and the one just below his mouth, it placed closer to the left than the right side of his chin. He also had a broad jaw, and his lips weren't as thin as most males were. If she personally were to judge his appearance, she would say he looked… handsome. He was handsome, _Frederic_ was handsome. And she didn't know what to do with the fact. He radiated a friendlier aura than the other three, and she felt more at ease with his company than she did with the others. Master Chief had obvious reasons as to why she felt more nervous than comfortable, and they were reasons she didn't want to think about, or else she would give herself another headache.

But Kelly and Linda… she didn't know them. From what she observed, Kelly was the more closed off and reserved of the Spartans, and she seemed to be stern and judgmental. Although she wasn't exactly stern when she first talked to her… But she did have her guard up. 013 was unsure why Kelly was so... discernible. Maybe in time she would know why.

Linda on the other hand, seemed to be the one that cared the least, about everything. 013 had the feeling that the woman simply didn't have an opinion about most stuff.

All four Spartans were so different, yet they worked in perfect harmony. 013 believed it was because they had known each other since childhood, and they had trained together – gone through the whole Spartan II program together. If anything, that probably forged their strong bonds to the point where they simply became unbreakable.

013 blinked, and she suddenly realized something.

She had just spaced out a second time. The Spartans probably thought her truly stupid now, or that she had some kind of head trauma going on. However it didn't beat the first impression she had made towards them, the crash-landing onto Chief a _very_ vivid memory.

"I… I've never really looked at it from that kind of perspective before. I guess I just got used to the ODSTs constant degrading comments that I just, went with the flow." She said silently. She saw Frederic frown, and his brow lifted slightly upwards.

"Constant comments? You mean they do this on a daily basis, degrading you?" 013 turned to look at him, having had her gaze on the other Spartans for a few seconds, and she crinkled her brow in confusion. Why would he react on the fact that they did it more times than one towards her?

"Not daily, because I don't see them that often. But if they get the chance to harass me and drop any kind of comment, they'll do it." She answered cautiously. She was unsure where this conversation was going.

' _I don't know if I like where this is going or not.'_ She inwardly thought.

The Spartan before her looked over his shoulder to the other two female Spartans, before looking up at the Master Chief, who gave a short nod.

Had they just conversed without using words? Not to mention they only saw each other's visors?

"We're going to keep an eye on you, and be on the look-out. If the ODSTs causes you too much trouble, come find us. We're on the fifth floor. The doors have our nametags on them, so don't hesitate in knocking. Better yet, if you manage to bring the ODSTs with you, make sure to knock." Frederic said, a small smirk on his face. 013 just looked at him before returning his smirk with one of her own.

"Alright. Thank you, guys, and uh- girls. I don't know how I'm going to repay you for doing all this, seriously."

"Don't get too sentimental on our asses, and I'll be happy." Came Linda's reply, and 013 had to hold in her laugh. She was pretty sure the woman didn't find it as funny as she did, and she respected that.

The Spartans then rose and headed further into the gym to where the sparring area was. 013 followed them with her own gaze before she rose and picked up the thrown weights, placing them back on their designated place.

Grabbing her duffelbag, she headed out of the gym to the locker rooms, intent on having a warm, relaxing hot shower.

From everything that had happened during the three days, she definitely needed it.

Not to mention that she would need to think about all that had happened, because if her conclusion was right, the Spartans had just accepted her.

Accepted her for who she was, and _what_ she was.

* * *

P.S. Yes, the title of the chapter is meant to be like that.

P.P.S. Don't forget to review!


	6. Chapter 6 - Subtle Familiarity

If the one month I forced you guys to wait was hard, then this has to be pure torture - simply because it's been over _2 months_ since I last updated and I'm so damn sorry! My only excuse is that school is ending soon so I've been focusing on my studies up until now. However, summer's soon coming, which means I will be able to update at least every month, that's a promise to you guys!

I'm in love with my own story as many of you are, so there's definitely not a chance that I'll let it die out without being completed. I still have so much to write, and the plot - we're not even halfway through it yet.

(You guys can't even count how many times I find myself reading my own story and smiling stupidly at my screen.)

As per usual, shout-outs to those that followed, favved and reviewed, you guys spur me on and make me really crank up my fire and mojo and just spam chapters out! (Not that I'm actually doing that at the moment, but just y'all wait.)

 **JohnM7Spartan182** \- Thank you so much! Your comment seriously put a tear in my eye because that's _exactly_ what I'm striving for! Thank you again, seriously!

 **Moneyman6996** \- Thanks bro, you're amazing!

 **NETGamer99** \- Thank you!

 **Disclaimer:** _No, I don't own Halo, but I would've if I could've, and certainly I would be nothing less but a legend, but then again, I don't own the epic franschise. Sadly._

On with the story!

* * *

 **Chapter Six – _Subtle Familiarity_**

After the incident at the gym 013 decided to keep away from the place, although only for a few days, at the least. She didn't want to take the risk that _Team Airhead and Co._ would swing by when she was there to exact much wanted revenge for their trampled pride.

The same pride that _she_ had trampled, along with the Spartans. She was fully sure of the fact that they were simply waiting for her to make her next mistake, for her to take one wrong step so they could come rushing with their pitchforks and torches.

Something that she _also_ was fully sure of, was that they most definitely fitted, and not to mention _deserved_ , the designated team-name she had conjured up just for the sake of her entertaining her own humor. It was quite obvious too, that the foursome had a few malfunctioning parts of their anatomy, as they were… _lacking_ in some areas. Thus, _Team Airhead and Co._

If she were to be honest, she would've gone for something _much_ more vulgar and degrading, however she had needed a name that called for subtlety.

Hence, the rather lame team name. Really, even calling them _cretins_ would've been a far off better insult, but then again, she'd have to consider that she wouldn't only be insulting the testosterone-dicks, but also the cretins themselves.

013 really wished she hadn't had to go for the subtle insults, because they held such little power to really insult, however there was simply no way around the rather, in her opinion, useless rule.

 _Apparently_ , going around on a ship (that has constant surveillance to add) and calling others - well, _Team Airhead and Co._ specifically - big piles of shit or something a bit more provocative _,_ which was more her forte, wasn't an agreeable method according to Command.

No, according to _them,_ it would only inhibit the marines' relations with each other, and not to mention that insulting people overall is on the opposite side of the _professional_ spectrum – which, of course, was their _favourite_ side of said spectrum.

It wasn't a surprise, really. At least, it wasn't to her.

They were simply _that_ superficial, and pompous asshats like that. She was debating whether or not she should add _prissy_ to the ever-growing list as well, seeing that their attitude certainly reflected a prissy ass-behavior.

However, excluding the mental list of sassy insults towards Command, 013 wasn't that stupid to actually believe in the load of bull they seemingly try to feed her and the other marines constantly. In truth, Command barely knew _jack-shit_ of how relations between marines worked – if they had, they would know that the term _relation_ wasn't even _in_ their vocabulary. They had camaraderie, yes, which is a special type of hard-earnt-friendship, but it wasn't the only thing they had. Sure, maybe camaraderie _could_ be called a relation to an extent, but still, it differed compared to the civilian interpretation of relation.

They come from two entirely different worlds, their lifestyles nothing alike.

Besides, what they had was something of much bigger importance and value, something a civilian would never be able to form.

What they had - were _bonds,_ bonds that become forged in battle when the only reliability a marine has, is that of their other teammates. Chit-chatting and conversation don't belong in the battlefield like they do in relations – the only language that is spoken is the one of guns kicking back and ticking grenades along with occasional grunts. Other than that… It was only the harsh, muffled breathing through sweaty helmets and the enemy fire that could be heard across the battlefield.

It was simply because actions speak louder than words – something they'll always continue doing. And especially in battle, a marine's actions holds a thousand more worth and importance than whatever words they could utter. Dragging a hurt teammate away from the open or providing cover-fire in order to distract the enemy from the engaging friendlies, are all actions that no words would ever be able to measure up to.

013 knew this, because the majority of her life she has spent on the battlefield, and she had had a front row seat to the repercussions of what conversations in the middle of battle could have.

They weren't pretty.

She had seen with her own eyes how one of her fellow marines took a bullet to the head because his focus hadn't been on the fight, but on whatever joke his friend had been telling him. It was an eye-opening moment for her then - it was at that _exact_ moment that realization had crashed into her, much like a physical wave would. She had flinched back as her eyes widened at the sudden fall of her comrade. At the same time, her brain was processing the _fact_ that something as simple as a _joke_ had killed a fellow teammate. She could still sometimes feel that the blood splatter on her face had yet to disappear.

It taught her the lesson that talking is a deadly habit, both literally and figuratively. However, when off the battlefield, she saw no problem in talking. Hell, she was _friends_ with one of the most _talkative_ people aboard the _Infinity._

It kind of spoke for itself, ironically.

But relations though - that was a whole other story. The only friends she really had were Captain Lasky, Jeff, and… Well, it was really only Captain Lasky and Jeff. She had a pretty short list of people on her friendship-list.

No one else really managed to get by the barbed fence that was her sarcasm and insults. People apparently thought her complex when really they couldn't have strayed further away from the truth. She couldn't help that she carried a shit-ton of luggage around - that so happened to be her involvement in Project: HYBRID. It was simply the way things were.

She, just like everyone else, had their own history. However, in her case no one but her knew the whole story. And it was quite understandable, because really, if she were to tell Jeff about how she in reality was a soldier hybrid with Spartan-and ODST influences, having been experimented on by ONI - how would he react?

She was split between the options that either he'd go batshit crazy on ONI, or slowly back away from her when realizing that she was a fuck-up.

With a quickly forming frown, 013 slammed the locker in front of her shut, the loud _bam_ echoing within the vacant vicinity. Since when did she stoop down to philosophically dissect her life? She wasn't complex, that's what she kept saying.

But… Was that statement really as truthful as she wanted it to be…?

Maybe she was one of those emotionally constipated individuals that walked around as if someone had shoved a stick a bit too far up their behind.

' _If Jeff's not going batshit crazy, then I am, because I'm so done playing Aristoteles, what happened with 'keep it simple? ?' Get a damn grip on yourself - I'm too young to end up in the psych ward. That's where the insane people go, and last time I checked, I wasn't insane. So let's keep it that way, shall we?'_ She silently reprimanded herself. Her words were tinted with frustration that would escalate into anger if she kept the same train of thought.

The amount of excessive thinking she was currently doing was what put the pegs in her wheel in the first place, and she wanted to keep the pegs to a minimum.

Although, it was proving to be a much more difficult task than what she originally thought - because Command was at the moment shoving her wheel _full_ of the damn pegs.

For every peg she managed to break, two more took its place. In other words, the pegs where like some hydra; cut one head off, two more grow back.

She could compare it to the reproduction cycle of rabbits, since the principle worked just the same; shit multiplied and became more and more for every loss.

She figured it was also kind of like cellular division too.

013 leaned her forehead against the cold steel of the locker, a silent breath escaping through her separated lips. She breathed in, a deep and slow breath, filling her lungs up once again before slowly exhaling the oxygen-turned carbon dioxide. When she felt composed enough, she straightened her back and rolled her shoulder in a backwards motion.

There was a satisfying pop and she made a small sound of contempt. Before exiting the locker room, she glanced back towards her locker to double-check that it was, in fact, locked.

There had been an incident that taught her the hard way that she should never, _ever,_ forget to lock her locker. It had ended up with Jeff sneaking in and stealing her underwear.

She was forced to walk commando halfway through the ship in order to find the trickster, because like the smartass he was, he had _conveniently_ also _'borrowed',_ emphasis on _borrowed,_ her room card. (A card they use to unlock their doors, like a credit-card of sorts. I figured it sounded more high-tech than saying keys because I don't know how they in the Halo-verse open their doors so I had to go with my imagination on this one.)

It hadn't helped that the vents of the ship were also blowing _cold air_ into the atmosphere, causing a certain area of her anatomy to react. The thin fabric of her tank top wasn't exactly the most concealing nor the most discrete fabric in the world either, which certainly didn't help her case. At all.

013 was sure people would be lying dead in the corridors had her glare been able to kill from a single glance.

So, she ended up stalking her way through the many corridors and levels before reaching her _beloved friend_ only to throw him out the airlock for his stunt.

Well, that wasn't exactly what happened, but she did consider the option.

Somehow, it'd be fun seeing Jeff tumbling about in space, swiveling in different directions with absolute zero control of his body's movements.

That is, if she excluded the fact that he would probably be suffocating.

013 chuckled lowly at the random pop-up memory. Although Jeff could be one irritating dimwit, he was _her_ irritating dimwit - A best friend that made sure her life kept itself interesting with his spontaneous bouts of adventure and pranks.

013 proceeded to exit the locker room, entering into the hallway before making a right turn. She had yet to talk to Lasky about the whole investigation-thing. An investigation where _she_ was the prime suspect.

She betted her monthly salary that Command in reality were just bored and had nothing better to do than convey up something dramatic to bring some excitement back into their dulling lives.

' _Selfish dicks, they should do what other normal old people do when they're bored; they play golf, not start a whole fucking investigation for shits and giggles, goddamn.'_

An elevator ride and a few turned corners later, 013 finally stood at the Command deck, waiting for Lasky to be done conversing with one of the _Infinity's_ lieutenants. She was leaning casually against the far-off wall with her arms crossed, opting for a more reserved spot away from the people milling about. Her eyes idly observed the people at the deck, her fingers absently tapping a random pattern on her arm. She saw the _Infinity's_ assistants walk around with datapads, while some tapped away on their keypads and others bringing coffee to the higher-ups.

' _Gotta suck to be them.'_ 013 said to herself, her brow slightly arching as her facial futures gained a contemplative look. The people on the deck that she was currently on, could be called the older times' paper-pushers - although instead of paper, they had their pads. 013 wondered how the hell they could cope without never stepping out of the ship on regular basis, or how they even managed to stay cooped up in such cramped spaces for long periods of time. It didn't make sense, her mind just drawing a blank.

' _Seriously though, don't they ever get bored?'_ She mumbled, her eyes swiveling off to the side when noticing abnormal movement. She caught sight of a fatal moment where one of the assistants suddenly tripped, and the coffee mug in her hands was slowly slipping away from the girl's desperate fingers. It was looking fatal, and 013 had to fight the urge to rush over and help. But she was simply too far away, so it didn't matter if she moved or stayed in place, that coffee mug would crash to the floor anyway, and spill ou its contents onto the recently cleaned floor.

Except that it didn't, because suddenly Lasky, who conveniently was standing nearby, reached out with his hand and steadied the cup within the girl's grasp. She saw how the assistant blinked a few times in surprise before a blush dusted her cheeks with a red tint.

' _Of course she has a crush on Lasky.'_

The girl's lips moved, probably murmuring a silent thank-you or something before she continued on her way.

013 just shook her head and cracked a smile.

"Always trying to be the savior of the day, huh, Lasky?"

"Trying might not be the right word, but always sounds good to me. 'Always the savior of the day'. It has a much nicer ring to it, don't you think?"

"Whatever makes you sleep at night, Lasky."

The Captain just chuckled before joining his officer, and in four quick strides later, Lasky was leaning with crossed arms against the wall as well.

"Even though it'd be nice to believe that you came up here for a casual visit, I presume that you didn't. So what brings you here, 013?"

There was a momentary pause where the mentioned marine closed her eyes and let out a deep sigh, before she turned her head to look at Lasky, her tired eyes meeting his gentle and kind brown orbs.

"I think you already know the purpose of my visit. A few days ago, I received some… alarming news."

"The investigation." 013 nodded in reply.

"Yeah, the investigation. Jeff gave me the news. I was supposed to visit you earlier actually, after I had been discharged, but there were some… _things_ that needed to be taken care of." 013 was careful not to mention any specific details, because she didn't want the incident to spread. She was rather sure that no one but her, the Spartans and the airheads knew, but still, the _Infinity_ had eyes and ears just about _everywhere._

She didn't want to any unnecessary chances.

But as per usual, Lasky managed to pick up on the small things, such as the tense form of her body, the irritated facial expression, the nervous tapping of her fingers – they all were signs of uneasiness.

So of course, one of his eyebrows arched upwards and his face adopted a scrutinizing facial expression.

"I assume those _'things'_ involved other people?" 013 only sheepishly sent him a small smirk, even though her eyes widened in slight surprise at how he had figured it out.

"A story for another time, alright? I want to know why Command is pulling this stunt on me, because as far as my presence here on the _Infinity_ goes, I'm spotless. So what's the deal?" The once comfortable atmosphere turned serious when 013 decided to breach the actual topic that she came in the first place to discuss. Her brow had sunk and furrowed into a slight frown, and she shifted her body, opting to lean her side against the wall instead of her back. She waited patiently for Lasky to reply, her eyes trained onto his own. There was a sigh from the Captain before he spoke up.

"Most of it is still classified, so I can't tell you even if I wanted to. Trust me that I would've told you if it was possible. But right now, it's not, so I have to stick to the information that _isn't_ classified." Lasky paused in his explanation before continuing.

"-Which isn't much. What I'm allowed to tell you is that it involves the orb you brought with you, and your service records. I'm being lenient in mentioning that the orb per say is an A.I. And as for Command, I'm guessing someone probably pushed the sticks a bit too far up their rears for them to go for such drastic measures. I really oppose their idea of keeping you stranded on the ship, but there's little I can do at the moment to help you with that. I'm sorry, 013, really, I am."

For a few moments, there was just silence. All sound was shut out, along with the moving people. In 013's world, it all was just… quiet.

Much like the calm before the storm.

Then, a defeated sigh left 013's mouth and she cast her eyes downwards. Her jaw was clenching tensely before it let go and unwind-ed for a few seconds, only to clench again as her brain worked fervently to find the answers it so desperately sought. There was a spark in her eye that ignited, and she felt the rising anger bubbling underneath her skin.

"So I'm expected to just sit my ass down and wait? You know I can't do that, Lasky, I barely even _know_ what downtime is anymore!" The angered marine pushed off the wall and stood straight, her hands balled up into fists at her sides. Lasky copied her stance, however his arms remained crossed as his eyes became stern.

"Then maybe it's time for you to get reacquainted with the term again." He said, his tone dismissive.

"You got no other choice but to take the downtime, even if it's not self-imposed. Look, we can make a deal, alright? You behave and take your downtime, and I'll do whatever I can to convince Command they're making a mistake. Does that sound like a good enough compromise?" Lasky then asked, his eyebrow slightly arching in question.

The preposition was a good one, and she should feel grateful for him having offered at all, but all she really wanted to do was to stomp her feet and throw things around at the fact that she was in all senses of the word _grounded,_ but she had enough control of herself and knew what _manners_ were, so she opted for the second best option – a glare.

"Damn it! It's like we're back at kindergarten again, except this time we're not fighting over who gets to play in the sandbox first! Seriously Lasky, there's _barely anything to do on this ship!"_

Her vivid expression caused the Captain's lips to slightly turn upwards. Despite having to display a stern mannerism, he held a special spot for 013 within him. She was an eccentric marine, and she was special. Her fiery passion to fight for what was right and fight for her will amazed him every single time, even though her stubbornness could sometimes cause a bit too much trouble than what he preferred.

But such was 013, she _never_ did anything half-assed.

He shook his head and chuckled quietly.

"That isn't my problem to solve, 013, and you know it. Maybe you should pay you Spartan friends a visit? I'm sure they wouldn't mind." His smile then turned into a smirk, when noticing how 013's eyes conspicuously widened at his _'casual'_ suggestion. Of course he knew more of her rendezvouses with the Spartans than he let on. He wasn't the Captain without reason, and he certainly wasn't acting like 013's father, either.

" _What?!_ I'm not paying them a _visit_ , I barely _know_ them! I've only met them _three times_ , all which where unintentional!"

' _Oh I know you've only met them three times, and all instances were quiet entertaining.'_ Lasky's thought to himself, a smug undertone to it all.

"Stop being so dramatic, 013. Like you said, you don't know them, so _get_ to know them. Only way to do that is by spending time with them, right?"

"..."

"Must you manipulate my own words against me, I hate when you do that." 013 grumbled, her shoulders slumping in defeat. Lasky however, only rose an eyebrow in expectation, although his smirk remained in place.

"Alright alright, _fine._ I'll go say hi or something."

"Good on you. Now, I have to get back to my business, I've been held up long enough." Lasky then pushed off the wall and turned to walk away, but not before looking over his shoulder, his eyes regarding her with an air of seriousness.

"Make sure to at least try make the best of your free time, it doesn't have to be as bad as you make it out to be." And with that, Lasky walked out of earshot, leaving 013 by herself.

' _Maybe it isn't such a bad idea to visit them… I mean, they did stand up for me, right? If they didn't like me, then they wouldn't have done that.'_

Even though she would miss being out in the field, maybe what she really needed was actually some downtime – some time for herself to simply… relax. She had lived and breathed the battlefield for so long that she didn't even know what people did to pass time anymore, which should if anything be a telltale sign to take some _damn downtime._ Although, besides being at the gym to train or spar, what else was there to do?

' _Guess I'll find out.'_

Not to mention that she now had more time to figure out who or what exactly Master Chief meant to her…

… No. She wasn't jumping on that train of thought. That area was still restricted, plastered with yellow tape and barricaded with planks, not to mention there was a huge wooden sign with the words _"don't fucking enter"_ written on it in scratchy, carved letters that were painted with black paint – paint that was slowly being chipped away, to ward away unwanted thoughts.

Since she now had her field trip license officially revoked, there was no point in avoiding the left turn of the corridor in the lower levels any longer. It wasn't like it contained the pest or anything, just some really deadly Spartans…

In truth though, she found their hallway daunting.

Well, daunting might just be exaggerating it a little, but still, she couldn't help but feel shivers run across her skin whenever she neared the corridor – it was because the whole damn corridor just _screamed_ danger _,_ and that if she were to trespass, the chance of getting hurt rose to above nine thousand.

But, she figured she'd finally make that friendly visit, after all, if she now thought about it…

She had never apologized to the Chief for crashing into him on that mission.

"Whoops… Guess it just slipped my mind." She mumbled silently to herself as she turned the corner, her stomach doing strange flips. It wasn't as if she had forgotten to apologize, it just so happened that other stuff got in the way. Like the damn investigation.

013's brow ticked, her irritation returning. Going to Lasky to question him about it had only provided her with more questions than answers.

She soon ended up outside the doors that belonged to the Spartans. The door she had stopped next to had the numbers 104 written on it. She knew Frederic the best out of the four, so she figured it would be best to start with him. Besides, she had seen how he looked like – the others might not appreciate her swinging by and unmasking them on her terms rather than their own.

Her fist made a staccato of three firm knocks before she lowered it to her side and taking a step back. A few tense seconds passed by before she heard a shuffle from the other side, and then the door slowly swung open, revealing Frederic standing there.

His face had a hint of surprise hidden in the otherwise neutral expression, his eyebrow slightly arched and his eyes a bit wider than usual. However, the expression soon diminished and the corner of his lips curved upwards.

"Why hello 013, you already causing trouble again?"

013 herself stood stock-still for a few heartbeats, for she was unsure how to react to his sudden friendly demeanor. She certainly hadn't been expecting it, but then again, what _had_ she been expecting?

Her own lips copied Frederic's, the tips of her lips curving upwards. She ended up sending him her typical lopsided smirk.

"Not this time, Frederic, but maybe the next?" She jokingly suggested. The nervous flutter she had felt right before he opened the door had mostly died down, as it was slowly being replaced by an odd sort of comfort.

She was honestly feeling quite at-ease, and it was a wonderful feeling. Spartans had the stereotypes plastered onto them that they were stone-cold war machines when actually, they were just as human as she or any other was.

They were actually human, contrary to popular belief.

"There's no harm in some entertainment now and again. So what brings you here, if you're not on the run?" The Spartan asked. He was currently leaning against his doorframe, his arms crossed in front of his chest. He was acting rather casually which meant he didn't find her company annoying.

Yet.

It was also at that very moment that it registered in her mind that he was dressed differently. He wasn't in his armor, and this was the first time she was seeing a Spartan _without_ their armor.

He wore a standard issued UNSC t-shirt along with a pair of black cargo pants and standard brown-black boots. His dog-tag jingled lightly when he shifted.

' _Are the other Spartans dressed the same as well… ? Maybe this was a bad time to swing by, then.'_ 013 thought, but then, she didn't want to be a killjoy so she dropped the thought.

"A-ah well… A friendly visit?" She said, and her smirk turned sheepish as she scratched the back of her neck rather nervously. However, Frederic just smiled wider as his eyebrows lifted in amusement.

"I'll be damned, so it has nothing to do with the fact that you're more or less grounded?"

Her eyebrows show up in surprise. How did he know about that?

As if knowing what she was thinking, Frederic provided her with the answer seconds later.

"We're Spartans, we got our sources. Not that we had to use 'em though, the whole ship actually knows that you're taking downtime, involuntarily might I add."

She was stunned, and it was showing. She was sure her jaw was wide enough to catch flies.

"Yeah… That's pretty much it. And that's where the problem lies. I told Lasky the same thing I'm telling you; I don't even _know_ how to take downtime anymore. I don't get how people can sit around and just do… nothing."

Frederic let out a light chuckle at her response, most likely because he could probably relate.

"That's the thing with us soldiers, our habits die hard. We don't like being idle for too long. The battlefield is our home, but when you're no longer on it, it's like a part of you disappears. Am I right?"

" _Exactly!_ And now I'm stuck with too much time on my hands - _involuntarily,_ might I add, too!" She threw back Frederic's words at him, and if it were possible, the Spartan's smile widened even further. He shifted his stance and pushed off the door-frame, straightening up.

"You know, the other Spartans and I are sort of taking downtime at the moment as well. We've been assigned to stay on-board the _Infinity_ for a couple weeks so if you want, you can hang with us whenever you like. Although I gotta warn ya, we're probably going to be spending most of our time at the gym and sparring area. You're more likely to find us there than in our rooms, so always check the gym first, alright?" It came out as a friendly suggestion, but 013 had already decided.

"Say no more, you had me at 'gym'."

"Think I just found your weakness, 013." Frederic said, a knowing smile on his face. 013 just laughed in response.

"What can I say? You know how to appeal to me already, that's pretty amazing." The Spartan stepped aside all the while shaking his head.

"The others will come by a bit later, so until then, you're stuck with just me. Tell me, are you any good at playing cards?"

"Oh yeah buddy, I know how to play cards. Let's see what you got."

"That arrogance is going to go straight to you head, 013."

"You wish."

There was a pause as 013 slowly stepped inside the Spartan's room, which turned out to be rather spacious. His bed was located to the right, along with a bedroom table that had a lamp and a few books stacked on it. Further into the room, there was a table surrounded by a few chairs, and-

' _Is that a mini-fridge?'_

"By the way, what's up with this pet name of yours- what was it… _Tutu?_ "

013's brow ticked at the mention of the ridiculous pet name.

"It's _Tutes,_ not _Tutu._ And it's _Team Airhead and Co_. that's what's up. Those dicks thought it'd be funny to call me something as stupid as a Tutu. I should probably teach them the art of insulting, because clearly, the suck at it. If anything, then I would at least have some kind of challenge."

Frederic chuckled at her explanation, before questioning it.

"And you're supposedly setting standards with your own insults? _Team Airhead and Co._ was it?"

"What? Don't give me that look, I had to go for subtlety. Had I had the choice, I would've chosen something much more frivolous, but since there are _rules,_ I can't do that."

"I read somewhere that rules are meant to be broken, no?"

"I don't think that's applicable in this situation, but damn, if it was… It'd be glorious."

And with that, the door to Frederic-104's door closed shut, enclosing the two soldiers. Within the room, a battle of a different kind took place.

 **-Time skip-**

She wasn't sure, but she figured around two hours or so had passed by when a knock on Frederic's door interrupted their fiftieth-or so poker game, having played other cards games beforehand.

The sudden knock had 013 almost flinch, because she had been so concentrated on the game. Along with the knock, she started to feel the same nervous flutter she felt when _she_ stood opposite that door.

Not to mention that feeling a little out of place, because really, this was Frederic's room, and he was a Spartan.

A Spartan who was part of Blue Team that consisted of three _other_ Spartans.

And most likely those three Spartans were the ones that were currently knocking on Frederic's door.

Yeah, she definitely felt jittery.

Frederic rose from his position at the chair and headed over to the door. There was a click, and 013 picked up a muffled voice sounding from the entrance.

And that was the thing. It was just one voice, not several voices.

' _So there's only one Spartan at his door?'_

It certainly was an unexpected turn of events.

"Alright… Come on in for now, 013's here and we've just been killing time up until now." Frederic then turned his head to look over his shoulder, and 013 perked up in her seat, her eyebrow rising in question.

"I gotta head up to Captain Lasky and talk about something. I won't be gone for too long. Meanwhile, Master Chief will be in your company up until I get back." And with that, Frederic stepped out, and walked away.

013 was still sitting on the chair, a slightly perplexed expression on her face. Did he just mention… _Master Chief?_

' _So I'm to be alone with the Chief… for who knows how long. Shit.'_

013 swallowed the sudden lump and slumped slightly in her chair. Her eyes slowly traveled to the door, almost afraid of what she would see.

And there he was standing, the Master Chief, clad in his military green MJOLNIR armor.

The air felt tenser than before, and there was an awkward atmosphere surrounding the whole room. Master Chief had moved to lean against the wall close to the door, his form tall and imposing, and he _oozed_ powerful. She felt it even though he was standing several feet away. Suddenly, 013 felt an urge to just _say_ something, _anything_ to break the tense silence.

"So uh… I never got to apologize to you for crashing into you on that mission, so… I guess, I'm sorry…?" It ended in a question mark, because she was just that bad at these kind of conversations. The fact that she rarely apologized contributed to that but more so that it was to the _Chief_ that she was apologizing to.

That was just asking for trouble.

Her mind also had this rather bad habit to sort of short-circuit whenever the Chief was in the vicinity, and that _definitely_ didn't help her case.

Because her eyes were trained upon his form when she spoke, she saw how he turned his head in her direction. The golden visor of his helmet was now seemingly staring her down. The laid-back pose he had assumed, with his arms crossed in front of his chest, gave off the vibe that he was relaxed, but she was sure that he was primed to react to the tiniest hint of danger.

The tension within the room had kept rising, and it now was almost palpable, as if 013 could just sort of reach out and grab a hold of it as if it were an actual object. Her throat felt parched, as if someone had dumped sand down her throat, or sandpapered the insides.

Minutes had ticked by and Master Chief had yet to respond to her weak attempt at an apology.

Maybe she should try a second time.

"So yeah… Again, I'm sorry for that. And I'm sorry if it ruined the whole 'badass soldier' persona you probably have going on, being the savior of Humanity several times over and all… And, well… I guess I'm just grasping for words at the moment, and rambling non-essential information, and we're probably figuring that it'd be a good idea if I stopped talking right about now so that's what I'm gonna do… like, right now."

And at the end of her sentence, 013 sunk just a little lower into her chair, a defeated breath leaving her lungs.

' _I think I'm a pretty accurate definition of the word 'dumb', this so bad. I'M so bad… Why did I ramble on like that, seriously, what the fuck?'_

As she was sitting in her defeat, her eyes staring unseeingly onto her lap, she didn't notice how the golden visor of the Chief tilted downwards, and how he seconds later, uncrossed his arms and turned his body into her direction. It wasn't until the _clank_ of his footsteps that her eyes rose from staring into oblivion and instead looking over to the source of the noise, which happened to be him.

His massive form was slowly approaching her, and 013 widened her eyes slightly, for she had no clue why he was walking towards her. Her back was pressing hard against the seat's steel back plate, her body beyond tense and rigid. She didn't know what to do with her hands and so they remained suspended in the air, her hovering just above her thighs.

When he arrived, his two armor-clad feet standing toe to toe with her, 013 was leaning as far back as possible into the chair, and her eyes were trained on his chest - because looking at his visor was just too ominous a thing to do.

Suddenly, the Master Chief went down into a crouch, his 7 feet _something_ form meeting her eye-level. His hand stretched out and settled heavily onto her knee, and for a few antagonizing seconds, there was just silence.

But then, the Chief finally, _finally_ spoke.

"I'm pretty sure I should be apologizing to you for not stopping your trajectory in a more controlled manner." His deep baritone ( _and_ _heavenly, how had she not noticed that before?)_ voice was muffled by his helmet but 013 couldn't care less, because her mind was fully focused on the fact that he had just turned the tables and was now apologizing to _her,_ despite that _she_ was the one that crashed into _him._

' _And he's sounding so damn casual about it too, this just keeps getting crazier and crazier…'_

And as per usual, her mind decidedly short-circuited, leaving her mind to respond automatically, using the oldest method in the book.

The first thing that popped into her mind was the reply her mind went for, which was nothing but a lovely douse of _sarcasm_.

"Well yeah, your armor isn't exactly the softest thing to land on, really, I thought I had crashed into the floor rather than… well, rather than you."

013 wanted to face-palm the instant her mouth closed. She was sure she would get hurt in some way for uttering such a comment, because indirectly, she was making fun of his armor.

He probably thought her the most disrespectful marine he had ever met.

But, to the contrary, there wasn't a reprimand of any sort, in fact, what she heard sounded suspiciously like…

A _chuckle._

' _Is he-is he laughing?'_

013's eyebrows rose in symphony to the sound of muffled chuckling, or well, it was more like a muffled humming but whatever, she took it at face-value - which was nothing less than a chuckle.

"The 705 pounds MJOLNIR armor is specifically designed to withstand crash-landings, I can guarantee that they didn't design it to be as comfortable to crash-land on."

Was she really bantering with _the_ Master Chief right now?

"So you're saying… You've actually crash-landed in that thing?"

Seriously?

"From orbit." Came his reply, sounding as casual as if they were discussing weather.

 _Seriously?_

' _FROM ORBIT!?'_

"You're insane."

"Might be so." He replied. The Chief then lifted his hand, that had been on her knee the whole time they talked, before rising to his full height again, which, for the record, completely _dwarfed_ hers. Being 5 feet 6 suddenly didn't feel as tall as she first thought it was.

Master Chief walked over to the door, the clanks of his heavy footsteps echoing out into the hallway since the door hadn't been closed. He was about to step out into the hallway but then stopped midstride. He looked over his shoulder, turning his helmet in the direction of where she was sitting, before he spoke up again.

"I'm sparring with one of my Spartans in a few, you could come with and train. You haven't been present in the gym since the incident." And with that, the Chief left, and 013 slumped into her chair, giving up on keeping a relatively composed appearance now that no one was there to see how she aced the appearance of a lifeless potatosack.

How did he know that she hadn't been in the gym since the ODSTs had harassed her? And why was he telling her that in the first place?

' _Not to mention he said 'my Spartans', he really values his team, huh…'_ The thought made her smile absently, and she felt her heart beat a little faster than its usual rhythmic pace.

' _Maybe one day, I'll be referred to like that by him…'_

* * *

I notice I keep leaving sorta-cliffhangers.

I find it funny.

P.S. Ohmygod there's so many spelling mistakes that even I'm feeling ashamed. I've edited the most noticeable ones so hopefully they won't poke you in the eye like some stick. **_And why didn't you guys tell me of them, anyway?!_**


	7. Chapter 7 - Striking Boredom Part 1

What's up, buds. New chapter out, whoop-de-do!

I decided to split this chapter up into two parts, mainly because there would just be too much going on in one chapter. It'd simply be too hard to keep track of it all, since big parts of it is vital for what is to come in chapter 8 and 9. The plot is escalating, and there are some interesting things that are soon going to happen. More than that I won't say~.

Anyhow. This is a relatively short chapter (since it's split into two parts) compared to the others that reach up to 5.5k or 6k+. This part in particular reaches about 4.7k, however the second part is going to be more of a regular chapter. So you see, if I were to combine both parts, it'd just end up being _way_ too much.

But don't worry though, part two is actually going to be posted **tomorrow,** since it's already written and edited.

I hope you enjoy, having waited a couple weeks for an update!

Oh, and shout-outs to those that have reviewed, favved and followed, THANK YOU! It's just so amazing that you're taking your time and reading my story, and then liking it, it makes wonders for authors like me.

 **Guest -** If it's action with the Chief you want, you're about to get it, this chapter contains exactly that!

 **Haruna Shikaio -** Thank you! I smiled ear to ear when reading your review, because I feel exactly the same thing when I read other stories, and it's one of the most important things that determines whether or not a story is good! You're amazing, buddy!

 **Note:** Alright guys, I know that you might not be too fond of leaving reviews and such, but trust me, I would _love_ to hear from those that are reading this story if they like the direction it's going, because at the moment, at this crucial time in the story, it's a win-or-lose, and it would just be of great help if you could come with your opinion! It could be a simple, 'keep going!' to a 'maybe you need to add some more Spartan perspective to it', or something. If it speaks your opinion, no matter how many or few words you use, it works!

And that's all, onward to the chapter!

Enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** _Nope, still don't own Halo._

* * *

 **Chapter Seven -** _ **Striking Boredom (Where it Hurts) Part ONE**_

The training session she had with the Spartans had been a surprisingly fun session, despite that they more or less drove her to the ground, the bruises mottled all over her body a testament of that. Not to mention that she had actually ended up _sparring_ with one of the Spartans as well, which was something she _definitely_ hadn't expected when joining them on their training session.

It had been Frederic that asked if she wanted a go at it, and the facial expression she made once she registered his words was almost too priceless. In fact, it had caused Frederic to _chuckle._

But honestly, she did have the rights reserved to act like a kid on Christmas at the request, because _who_ the _hell ever gets approached by a Spartan, who then asks if you want to spar?_

No one, that's who.

At least, that _was_ her opinion, up until yesterday.

Spartans are the epitome of the word _'soldier'_ , they are practically near perfect fighting machines – ruthless and tactical, but not foregoing rescuing civilians that were unfortunate to be in the middle of a battlefield.

And getting offered to spar with one… There was just next to _no_ chance of that ever happening, simply because they have the capability to break whoever they spar against.

Except that they don't, because she was fully alive.

But then, in a display of complete, utter irony – as if it wanted to make a statement, she accidentally nudged one of her most sore spots on her left side with her elbow, and the pain receptors all suddenly flipped their invisible middle fingers to her while she was too busy wincing and mentally cursing her stupidity. More or less, her left side was now telling her to fuck off, and to not make such presumptuous assumptions in the future, lest there would only be a reprise of what had just transpired.

' _Fucking hell…'_

Well, at least she was _mostly_ alive.

There _are_ of course consequences of sparring with Spartans, but fortunately none that involved broken bones.

This time.

A rueful smile swept over her facial expression as she recalled yesterday's events. It was probably one of those few times that she truly felt happy. It had been a long time since she just let herself be _her_ , without any duties or rules dragging her down. Instead, she just… let go, and made whatever choices she wanted to make, as the restraints from living a soldier life were temporarily lifted.

That does tend to happen when you get benched.

But even so, it wasn't often that one was handed the chance to feel such freedom, and to be that frivolous. It's an extreme rarity, to befall such opportunity.

And for once, her bad luck hadn't surfaced this time around, as it seemingly has let her be.

 **-Flashback-**

 _After the Chief's declaration, and jarring observation, which left her sitting there like the potatosack she was doing a perfect job at impersonating, 013 had taken a few minutes for herself to recompose, and to actually accept the fact that Master Chief had more or less invited her to hang out with them during their training. Although it had been rather indirect - Master Chief was never one to outwardly request nor ask for someone's presence._

 _There was also another matter, a matter that consists of the fact that he, the Chief, had actually noticed her absence at the gym. There were few that ever took notice of such things, if even ever. Jeff hadn't noticed, nor Lasky. But then again, both were rather busy people at the moment. In contrast to her, none of them were part of the bench warming club that she had involuntarily become part of._

 _'My duty doesn't lie in keeping the goddamn bench warm for others.' She grumbled to herself, the tips of her lips tilting downwards in disdain._

 _She was definitely unimpressed of the actions Command had taken. Her ass they did it for safety reasons._

 _She could spot bullshit miles away, and their excuse for her getting benched reeked of complete bullshit._

 _013 quickly dismissed the rather depressing thoughts, as they did nothing to better her mood. Instead, she shifted back to what she had previously been thinking about._

 _Which had been Jeff and his ugly ass, and how busy he'd been as of late. It probably was all thanks to that Commander of his – who seemed to keep a very watchful eye on him in particular._

 _'Poor dude…'_

 _According to her best friend, she was on the highway heading straight into becoming a fully-fledged stalker with the way she was keeping tabs on him. Numerous times had he seen his Commander conveniently reside in the same vicinities that he was present in, and it creeped him out like hell._

 _"I'm not kidding, every room I enter, she's in there somewhere, watching me with that creepy stare of hers. The only place I'm really free of her, is when I'm taking a piss! I'm serious here Tutes, she's becoming borderline stalker, that's my final conclusion. There's just no other way to explain her apparent need of having to have me in her sights 24/7."_

 _Ironically enough, she had never actually seen his Commander, and it most likely had to do with Jeff not wanting to be seen with her while his Commander was nearby – or else she would certainly come up with some crazy reason to ban him from talking to her._

 _At least, that was Jeff's theory, but truthfully, 013 believed he just was too much of a lazy ass to find her on the gigantic ship. The Infinity did after all have a lot of floors onboard, and Jeff's known for being efficient in the laziest of ways._

 _She wasn't sure whether or not it was a benefit or a disadvantage._

 _She brought herself away from her reminiscing, as well as dismissing the little twinge of happiness and something else that shall not be named that she felt from knowing that the Chief had noticed her absence. 013 instead opted to slowly rise from the chair and stretch, several joints in her body popping from the action. A relieved sigh escaped her._

 _With a backwards glance into Frederic's room to check if she had forgotten anything, she then proceeded to step into the hallway before shutting the door, it making a dull thud upon impact. An electronic buzz sounded, indicating that the lock to the door had activated._

 _She made the trek from the Spartans' dorms to the gym in a leisurely pace, because if she were to admit it, she was actually feeling quite nervous. Her stomach did those strange weird flips again, and her body felt very fidgety. Her nerves were tingling and she subconsciously flexed her fingers from the abundant adrenaline that was flowing through her veins._

 _She had the right to be nervous, since she had never trained with Spartans before, despite being partly Spartan herself. She had been a sole candidate for Project: HYBRID and thus, because she also was an experiment, she was exempt from training with others._

 _It was rather unfortunate, because it had hemmed her growth, and placed a couple pegs in her wheel that had yet to disappear. Sometimes she would find herself being overcome with performance anxiety, even though she was rather confident in herself. It was part of being a soldier – you simply have to be confident in your skills, lest others would doubt you, which led to you becoming untrustworthy._

 _Simply because it is the amount of strength in a soldier that determines whether or not another soldier gets to live another day. It is a soldier's strength that opens up the possibility of being able to save someone. She knew this firsthand._

 _And so did the Spartans._

 _She figured that it was partly the reason as to why she was feeling nervous. She didn't want to appear weak in their eyes, or else they would never rely on her in helping them out on future missions._

 _'That is IF I ever get back on the mission roster… Also, the likeliness of me getting paired with them is less than zero. C'mon 013, be logical.' She berated herself within her mind._

 _Finally, in what felt longer than it should've been, 013 stood by the gym's double doors, her eyes spotting the Spartans through the small rectangular windows that were implanted in the upper parts of the doors._

 _'Here goes…' She silently mused before lifting her hands and pushing the doors open. They easily gave way and swung open, the sudden swooshing grabbing the attention of the two Spartans that were sitting on the benches located near the sparring ring, which contained the other two remaining Spartans. 013 immediately spotted Frederic, as he was the only one without his armor on._

 _Upon spotting her, the Spartan lifted his hand in a short wave as he sent a smirk her way. She waved back in reply and sent him her usual lopsided smile._

 _After the quiet hellos', her eyes then slowly shifted over to the other Spartan on the bench, Spartan-058._

 _'Linda, that's her name if I recall correctly.'_

 _The Spartan shifted her helmet towards her, her visor staring blankly at her. She then offered a quick and short nod in acknowledgement, and 013's smile grew just a little._

 _"Nice seeing you here 013, you're just in time to see Kelly and Chief get serious in their fight. And let me tell you, when they get serious, it turns pretty intense." Frederic said, gesturing his head towards the ring upon her arrival at their bench._

 _Just as she sat down, her duffelbag landing with an 'oomph' on the floor, the Spartan next to the male spoke up, much to her surprise._

 _"It always is with those two, Fred." Came Linda's rather aloof comment. Frederic however, just chuckled and shrugged._

 _"I guess you can say that."_

 _013 however, didn't pay much attention to what Frederic had said in reply to Linda's comment, for her gaze had shifted over to the two Spartans duking it out in the ring._

 _'Intense is kind of an understatement…' She mused when she studied the two._

 _It was definitely more than an intense sparring match going on, for the speed and agility of their fight was just… She was awestruck. Her eyes barely caught sight of the swings they made towards each other. She was sure her facial expression looked rather comical at that moment, her eyebrows sky high and her mouth slightly agape. But she didn't care._

 _She had no comment on just how amazing their footwork was, her eyes intently watching how they placed their feet. Every move the two Spartans made, were seemingly executed with perfectly fluid movements - it was as if their bodies already knew what to do before the move was done._

 _'They can read each other's' fighting styles to the point of being able to predict what move will come next…' 013 thought to herself, her eyes following them with huge interest._

 _'Although, Kelly seems to be the swifter of the two… But the Chief has durability and strength to back him up… He can take her punches without faltering much, which gives him the upper hand because he's given the opportunity to deliver an attack of his own, without Kelly being able to divert or counterattack it. Unless she's fast and agile enough to break free of his hold before the attack comes…'_

 _Her mind was rapidly analyzing the fight, bringing forth the pros and cons and then in turn analyzing those from different perspectives which were based upon the two Spartans' strengths and weaknesses._

 _What she didn't know however, was that she was muttering her thought process under her breath, and with the enhanced hearing of a Spartan, Frederic easily picked up on the word sequences she was currently whispering._

 _"You're analyzing their fight?" He asked, a hint of surprise hiding behind his words. It brought 013 from her musings, as she blinked, before turning her rather perplexed gaze to the male Spartan next to her._

 _"I did that out loud?" She whispered, her voice sounding shocked and surprised. Frederic arched an eyebrow, before smirking once again._

 _"Yeah you did, and from what I heard, you were pretty spot on. Kelly is actually the fastest of all Spartans, and the Chief is known for his power and durability. You're pretty good at that analyzing thing; however, I wonder how you would fare with first-hand experience. Tell you what, you up for a spar after those two are done?" Frederic then asked, his head jerking towards the two fighting Spartans as his eyes remained trained on her._

 _013 however, barely noticed his movements as her, still perplexed gaze, blinked twice before she finally registered what the Spartan had been asking._

 _He wanted to spar with her?_

 _What?_

 _'What?'_

 _"Uh… You're really asking me if you want me to spar…, with you?" Frederic's smile turned almost apologetic upon her answer._

 _"Yeah, but you don't have to if you don't feel up for it. I'm not going to force you, 013."_

 _013's mind was still in a state of shock from the fact that a Spartan had asked if he could spar with her, but nonetheless, she wasn't one to say no to such an offer, despite that her mind wasn't fully operational at that moment._

 _"I-ah, I've never sparred against a Spartan before, so I guess I'm just feeling slightly… Nervous?" An uncertain smile slipped onto her lips, and she shifted her eyes towards the sparring ring, her grey orbs once again studying them as they threw their punches. The Spartan next to her arched his eyebrow even higher, his face assuming a questioning facial expression._

 _"Even though you're part Spartan, you never sparred with another Spartan?"_

 _013 kept watching the two Spartans as she provided him with a reply to his question._

 _"Not really. I was never allowed to fight against someone of Spartan caliber… They always came with the excuse that it'd either be too dangerous, or that there simply were no Spartans present."_

 _Just as she had voiced her answer, her mind drew a blank, and her eyes suddenly widened._

 _She had just slipped up._

 _She mentioned a 'they'. Frederic, nor any of the other Spartans, knew who she was referring to when she said 'they'._

 _Because they don't know about Project: HYBRID._

 _They don't know that she has been part of an experiment funded by ONI._

 _'Shit.'_

 _The newly surfaced feelings of panic and nervousness filled her body and mind to the brim, and she had to fight to not let the emotions show on her face. If she were to do anything else, or show that something was amiss, she would personally lead herself to the nearest airlock and throw herself out, for what she had just done tops the list of most idiotic things one can do in life._

 _'How could I be so fucking stupid? If he noticed anything… - Where's the nearest airlock, just in case…'_

 _But to her relief, Frederic did nothing that indicated he might be suspicious of her words, and she silently let out a breath of relief. Perhaps it just slipped him by? He wasn't showing any signs of anything being out of the ordinary._

 _However, to the contrary of what 013 was thinking, Frederic actually had picked up the anomaly in what she had said. There was an unknown 'they', and he silently mused over what or who she possibly was referring to with the 'they'._

 _Wanting to divert the attention elsewhere, 013 once again spoke up. Her eyes were now directed towards Frederic, as her hands were occupied with idly twisting the straps of her duffelbag._

 _"Anyway, I'm up for a sparring session, but that is if you can promise not to break too many bones in the process?" She said, her cheeky attitude back on track when her mind decided to once again fully focus on her surroundings._

 _She didn't want to take the risk of slipping up again._

 _At her spunky comment, Frederic's smirk returned, and he let out a small, humored chuckle._

 _"Of course, I promise to go easy on you." 013 arched an eyebrow as she leaned a little further back._

 _"Oh, please do." She replied, her infamous sarcasm seeping through. This time, Frederic actually laughed, and 013 smiled widely._

 _"I like your spunk, 013. You sure have a way with your words."_

 _Just as she was about to reply, two heavy thuds interrupted their banter, and both soldiers swiveled their heads towards the direction of the sound, which came from the two Spartans that had been in the ring._

 _"I'm guessing you won the round, Chief?" Came Frederic's casual question, a tint of mischievousness within his words._

 _"Yes, he did." Kelly muttered. The female Spartan was slightly irked by once again losing towards the Chief, however, she didn't hold it against him. She never did._

 _"You two should take a seat, 013 and Fred are sparring." Linda suddenly interjected, having been silent throughout the aforementioned soldiers' conversation._

 _Kelly and the Chief turned their helmets towards 013, and she immediately blushed at having the full attention of the two Spartans._

 _Especially the Chief's attention. He somehow always managed to make her feel slightly more uneasy than the other three... It might be because of her-_

 _'No, nope. Not going there. Nope.'_

 _"Well… Yeah. Frederic asked, and I figured why not. It's been some time since I last sparred with anyone." She answered their unspoken questions, her shoulders shrugging as her smile turned slightly uneasy._

 _"Alright. This will be a little fun." Kelly then remarked. The blue Spartan walked over and seated herself next to Linda, her elbows coming down and resting against the knee plates of her armor. The Chief however, remained standing, his orange visor still directed towards 013._

 _She assumed he was observing her, trying to imagine how the fight might turn out, but nonetheless, his heavy stare was causing her to feel more awkward by the second, and she shifted slightly in her seat, only to then rise seconds later as her legs tingled from sitting still under the scrutinizing gaze of the Chief._

 _"Wish me luck then." She jokingly said, her eyes looking over her shoulder towards the two female Spartans seated on the bench. She knew she had only spoken to try lift the tense atmosphere that was beginning to get the best of her, but no sooner after she had said it did she come to wish that they actually would wish her luck in her spar with Frederic._

 _Her feet slowly approached the ring, her eyes set on the black ropes surrounding it as her gaze pointedly resisted the urge to glance at the Spartan that was standing nearby. She couldn't give into it._

 _However, it didn't go according to plan, for just as she was going to pass by the Chief, his towering form causing her body to somehow tense up, she was halted. A green armored hand was encasing her arm, it grabbing a firm hold of her upper bicep, hindering her from continuing forward._

 _Immediately, her head snapped up towards his orange visor, her wide grey orbs questioning, and full of surprise at his unpredicted gesture._

 _The military green Spartan standing right beside her, remained silent for a few heartbeats (it was more than a few in her case), before he pulled her even closer, if by just a few millimeters, and his upper body shifted as he lowered himself to her eye-level._

 _013 could only stand stock still, as she followed the movement of his helmet with her still widened eyes. The rest of her was in complete lock-down, for she couldn't even move a single digit on any of her hands or toes._

 _It was because Master Chief was touching her, willingly._

 _Although, it would never compare to when he had carried her bridal style to the waiting Pelican on that mission that seemed to have taken place ages ago. It was a memory that would forever remain as one of her top favourites, despite that he only did so because she was injured and barely conscious._

 _"Spartan-104 has the tendency to step first before attacking, use it to your advantage." 'Came then the Chief's deep gravel voice, albeit muffled, as he lowly spoke into her ear. She hitched on her breath at having him so close to her._

 _However, the trance that she seemed to have been coaxed into at hearing the (heavenly sexy) voice of Master Chief, was broken when he shifted back to standing straight. A few more seconds passed by, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as her face felt like it was slightly on fire, before he decided to let go of her arm and walk over to stand by Kelly's sitting form._

 _He had just left her standing there, barely able to breathe, and blushing tenfold._

 _Fortunately though, she had her back towards the other Spartans, so they couldn't see how terribly red her face was, or how her grey orbs where slightly glazed over from the interaction with the Chief._

 _But just as the Spartans couldn't see her face, she couldn't see the slight curve of the Master Chief's lips as he almost smirked at the reaction he had induced from 013, his face hidden behind the encasement of his helmet._

 _There was one small detail that 013 found herself stuck on that had taken place during their interaction, and it was that she was absolutely sure that Master Chief had held onto her arm for a little longer than what had been necessary…_

 _And she couldn't help herself from silently questioning why._

 _Her moment with the Chief was swept to the back of her mind as soon as she climbed through the ropes and into the ring, her focus shifting to fully concentrate on the sparring match that was about to take place. Frederic had taken his rightful spot in the right corner that was opposite hers, and with a nod of consent from the both of them, they stepped closer towards the center of the ring and slowly began circling each other._

 _013 was already analyzing what type of fighter he might be. She immediately noticed that he was right footed, and that he seemed to prefer to lean more of his weight on his right side than his left side - which meant there was a bigger chance of him leaving his left flank slightly more vulnerable._

 _'That depends on how he holds his guard…'_

 _She then took a step forward, sending a quick jab towards him to see how he would react._

 _He immediately reverted to a defensive stance, his hands lifting to guard, and block if necessary._

 _Had she thrown a punch after her jab, he would've easily blocked it, because his responsiveness was lightning fast._

 _'It's going to be hard to land a punch on this guy, no matter if he has a weaker left side than his right.' 013 mused within her mind._

 _They both circled each other again, however, this time it was Frederic who threw a punch in her direction. She was quick to bring up her own guard, but just as she did so, she caught movement in her peripherals, and barely less than a second later was she sent flying, his kick careening her to the side._

 _She landed on her back with a thud after having impacted with the lower section of the ring's ropes._

 _She wasn't given much time at all before she had to quickly roll away from Frederic's rapidly nearing foot - that would've connected with her midsection had she not reacted in time._

 _She rose to standing position, but had to revert her stance to the defensive to block once again as Frederic was quick to recover his momentum, spinning and throwing a right hook in her direction. She dodged his attack by ducking, but then found herself having to quickly jump away directly after ducking as a roundhouse kick from the Spartan came whirling towards her._

 _'He's going hardcore on my ass!' She felt slightly irked, because if this was his way of 'going easy', she had a lot to learn before she was even close to their level. And he was so damn quick in in his attacks, she could barely keep up._

 _But just as she was mulling over his attacks, her mind discovered something else, and her eyes sparked with newfound information that would benefit her in her fight against him, excluding the little tip the Chief had given her._

 _'He seems to prefer attacking in succession, an attack following through the next. Perhaps he uses the leftover momentum to benefit himself in the fight…'_

 _She was stuck on the defensive for quite some time, blocking and dodging his attacks before she finally managed to gain an upper hand as Frederic's balance was thrown off with a shove in the back from her shoulder. Of course, it had very much to do with the fact that she watched for him to step, before initiating her little surprise attack, coming up behind him just as he went in for the punch, having barreled to the his right where his reach would be minimum since his right arm already was extended._

 _From there, she threw him a right hook - that connected with his jaw. She had waited for the opportune moment where he would spin to counterattack her and regain his offense, but she was quick to deny that chance._

 _She used the distraction that she gained from her punch, quickly grabbing a hold of his arm and twisting it behind him, before shoving him towards the corner he was facing._

 _Which conveniently was rather close to where they were standing._

 _However, her grip was soon overpowered as he twisted his body and freed himself, and she quickly backed away, not wanting to be in the boundary of his attack range._

 _013 already knew inwardly that the hold she had had on him wouldn't hold, for what she needed was to lock his body down on the floor if she wanted any chance to win. As long as he was standing, there was little chance she could win the fight._

 _Not that she was exactly hoping to win the fight anyway._

 _That'd be kind of absurd, after all, she was up against a Spartan._

 _But there's nothing wrong with a little hope._

 _The stunt she had pulled caused Frederic to smirk._

 _"You definitely seem to know what you're doing, but those locks aren't going to work on me, since I have strength on my side to help me out." 013 nodded in appreciation of his feedback, and sent him a wide grin in silent thanks._

 _"I'm just testing my options, getting a feel of what exactly I'm up against." The comment made the Spartan's smile turn slightly proud. She was certainly analyzing the fight just as she had done with the Chief's and Kelly's brawl, Frederic mused to himself._

 _Once again she was forced to be on the defensive, and no matter how much she tried this time, she couldn't flip the tables to gain an offense._

 _That is, until he misplaced his foot, his left foot taking majority of his weight. And since she already knew that he was right footed, having noticed it at the beginning of the fight, she also knew that his left flank was a little weaker. She supposedly had the element of surprise on her side right now, because Frederic probably had yet to know that she had figured out that little flaw of his._

 _So with a duck and a sweep of her foot later, a loud thud of the Spartan falling echoed within the vicinity of the room. 013 was quick to pull him into a body lock, climbing on top of him to perform a lock that even she herself was a little unsure of doing, because she had only done it once before._

 _The question was, would she manage to succeed with it, especially when she was fighting a Spartan?_

 _She was just about to get her answer._

* * *

Mwahaha, _**cliffhanger!**_


	8. Chapter 7 - Striking Boredom Part 2

Okay, I lied, this part turned out to around the same length as the first part. BUT, I was right in saying that it would've been too long to act as just one chapter without dividing it into two parts. So really, it cancels itself out, so no throwing tomatoes, shoes or whatever the closest object you have nearby at me for giving you false information ( _that isn't really false_ ).

And I kept my word when saying that the second part would come out today, so 0-1 to you guys.

As for the note I had in the previous part, please, _please!_ give me some sort of feedback, because honestly, I'm not sure whether or not the content in the story makes complete sense to you guys or not, and that is the importance of this story. If y'all don't get what's happening (unintentionally so, meaning that if there's an event happening, I might intentionally let it escalate over a few chapters. i.e. the investigation that Command has going on towards 013). - I hope that made some sort of sense, I couldn't describe it in any other possible way without it turning into complete gibberish.

Shout-out to the one that favved and followed, you da best!

Now, hope you enjoy!

P.S. This chapter tells the results of what happened in their spar!

P.P.S. _No_ , I'm _not_ going to spoil what happens in the author's notes.

 **Disclaimer:** _No, Halo is still not owned by me._

* * *

 **Chapter Seven -** _ **Striking Boredom (Where it Hurts) Part TWO**_

Previously:

 _013 was quick to pull him into a body lock, climbing on top of him to perform a lock that even she herself was a little unsure of doing, because she had only done it once before._

 _The question was, would she manage to succeed with it, especially when she was fighting a Spartan?_

 _She was just about to get her answer._

* * *

 _She sat straddled on his form, her knees digging into his sides to act as a minor distraction as well as helping in pinning him down. She had to be quick with the next part, or else the lock would go all to hell._

 _013's breaths were heavy, and her body was protesting from having to move, for the kick she had received in her side was starting to really ache. Up until now, she had managed to ignore the pins and prickles that signified damaged tissue, but as the adrenaline was wearing off, the pain was starting to push through her system._

' _Please let me make this one last move…'_

 _Protesting against her own body, 013 shot her hand forward to grab a hold of Frederic's right arm, quickly twisting it so it formed an L-shape next to the side of his head. Her right arm kept its tight grip on his wrist, pinning it down, while she maneuvered her other arm to sneak under his elbow, close to his bicep. She finalized the body lock by grabbing her own left wrist and the pushing hard downwards, forcing the Spartan's arm into a painful angle._

 _Her body was leaning close to him, almost pressing flat against his chest. Her eyes were watchful even though she was looking Frederic in the eyes. He did have one free hand that he could use to try pry her off. The exhaustion as well as the exhilaration was evident on her reddened face, the sweat running down in rivers, and almost stinging her eyes from its salty consistence._

 _Her lips turned upwards, and a wide smile spread across her face. There were small tresses of her hair that had loosened from her low ponytail, and they currently were framing her face as she was bent over the Spartan's form._

 _Most normal people would've been straddled across his hips, but seeing that he was 6 feet something tall, she had ended up straddling his midsection instead, almost hiking up to where his diaphragm was._

 _Her smile was reciprocated by Frederic, his own smile speaking of how impressed he was._

' _I did it. I managed to succeed with the body lock.' She thought proudly to herself._

 _However, those thoughts were interrupted when she suddenly noticed a mischievous glint in the Spartan's eyes._

' _That doesn't bode we-'_

 _She had no time to even finish her thought as her world suddenly flipped itself over, quite literally so. The force Frederic placed in his spin caused a groan to escape from her throat, and her eyes shut upon impact._

 _Her back ached just a little more now from the rough treatment it had so suddenly received from Frederic twisting out of her grip and then pushing upwards before rolling over. He had been quick to use her slight delirium to his benefit, as his hands grabbed both her hands and brought them straight down, locking them to her sides with the help of his knees._

 _She ultimately knew that the fight was now over._

 _Her chest heaved with her heavy breaths, and she let her body relax, it becoming limp, causing Frederic's form to slightly press closer as her muscles slacked. The adrenaline that was coursing through her system still felt amazing, and she kept her eyes closed a little longer before reopening them, her grey orbs landing on the Spartan's face._

" _That was a good fight, and you fought brilliantly, I'll give you that. But, you have the tendency to weaken your grip a little too fast. In order words, when you do a body lock, or any other type of grapple technique, you have an added strength in the beginning that you don't take advantage of, so, in the future, try keep the same amount of strength in your grip. That way, your opponent has a lesser chance of breaking free." Came Frederic's voice._

 _013 listened intently on his advice, and nodded affirmably once he had finished. He gave her a nod of his own before rising from his position, and standing up, before he then lent a hand for her to grab. He hoisted her up and she stabilized her footing._

" _Thanks."_

 _She took the time to flatten out the wrinkles that had appeared on her shirt, before once again focusing on Frederic. He had yet to walk over to the others, and it took her just a second to understand why._

 _He was waiting for her to be done._

' _Aw, he's a gentleman.'_

 _013 heaved a deep breath, her heartbeat now slower than it had been previously._

" _Thanks for that, it was fun as hell to spar like that again. It's been almost too long." She said, a small smile tilting the corners of her lips upwards. She then continued, however, this time she was a little uncertain._

" _I have a tip for you as well, if… Well, if it's okay for me to point it out?"_

 _Even though it would only be natural to provide each other with advice after a spar, she was actually rather unsure if it was okay or even acceptable to give a Spartan constructive critique on their fighting._

 _For they were taught to be the best, and so they're not supposedly meant to have flaws._

 _But then again, they weren't robots - to the contrary of what everyone else seemed to believe._

 _The thought caused a wave of anger to wash through her, and she suddenly felt irritated._

 _It wasn't right for anyone to lay labels on the Spartans. Yes, they might be close to being perfect war machines, but that was the thing. They aren't._

 _They're just as human as anyone else, despite having been augmented._

 _Besides, the augmentations actually only enhance what they already have, and so, the argument of them not being as human as the rest of the human race was no longer legit, by any means._

' _Dumbass people placing their fucked up labels, calling them machines and whatnot. It's just so wrong on so many levels, seriously. A machine doesn't breathe, any individual with a functional brain should know that.'_

 _The heated discussion going on in her mind was quickly shut down, as her focus drifted away from the topic to focus back on her current reality._

 _Another time. She would deal with those thoughts another time._

 _Fortunately for her, her mind returned just in time to hear what Frederic had responded, despite missing the beginning of what he'd been saying._

" _-course you can give me feedback on what you felt could be improved. That's what sparring matches are meant for. Don't feel the need in having to ask if you want to give advice on something." Frederic chuckled heartily, his hand landing on her shoulder in a friendly manner. 013 responded with a smile of her own, her uncertainty now completely washed away at the Spartan's approval. She arched an eyebrow, and assumed her typical cocky expression._

" _Well alright then. You like to keep your left flank more vulnerable than your right, which gives the opponent the chance, however small, to use that weakness to their benefit. You also favor your right foot a bit too much, the majority of your weight being shifted onto it. That's actually how I managed to get you down onto the mat – I noticed how you kept your right foot planted onto the ground and leaning quite a lot on it. That's why it was kind of easy to sweep your legs from under you, because you had shifted your weight to your left for a few seconds to stabilize, which meant that your balance would be slightly off."_

 _The Spartan before her studied her intently after she had spoken, and in a nervous habit, she scratched the back of her neck. A small thought in the back of her mind told her she had overstepped her boundaries, but she quickly silenced it._

 _Frederic had given her the green light for her to point out what he had done wrong, and so she would do exactly that. She wanted him to improve, and the only way to do that is to be aware of your mistakes._

" _I'll be damned. I didn't think you would be able to notice that, but I guess you did after all." His smile returned, and 013 cocked her hip as she crossed her arms in front of her._

" _That's what I assumed just before sweeping your legs from under you. I figured that you would be slightly overconfident in me not noticing it, which handed me the upper hand, if only for a few seconds." The Spartan chuckled again in reply._

" _It was a good fight, and I look forward to spar with you again in the future." And with that, the two of them headed towards the ropes to exit the ring._

 _013 was a little slower however, in walking over to join the other Spartans. She was still digesting his words - his words that spoke of future moments where she would spar with him, again._

 _A feeling of giddiness swept over her, her mind overrun with joy, however she was sure not to let it show too much, lest her smile would only turn creepy._

 _And last time she checked, she wasn't a creep, that was Jeff's Commander's job._

 _She came to stand next to the Chief, while Frederic was busy conversing with Kelly. She noticed that the Chief's helmet slightly shifted, and in a spur of spontaneity, she flashed him a wide grin and made a discrete thumbs' up, that was both meant as a silent thank you, but also her communicating that she was fine._

 _For she was sure, that the Chief seemed to have been a little wary upon hearing that she was sparring against a Spartan._

 _The Chief, feeling amused at her behavior, decided to indulge her and gave her a nod, before he shifted his hand that was closest to her, his hand forming a fist._

 _He saw how her eyes widened, and her mouth became slightly agape, but despite all that, she was quick to fist bump his hand. He then shifted it back into its original position, his arms still remaining crossed._

 _The smile that 013 had on her lips caused the corner of his own lips to slightly curve, and a quiet chuckle left him._

 **-Flashback End-**

013 walked through the corridors of the _Infinity._ The Infirmary was a couple doors down, and she contemplated for a few seconds if she should swing by. However, on another note, she'd rather not annoy the blonde doctor more than she already had. She was tough enough to go without painkillers, her body was just feeling a little tender, and that's all. There was really no actual reason for her to go into the medbay, _again_.

Right then, as she crossed the threshold of the second corridor, her pinky toe snubbed against it. Immediately a zing of pain shot through from her foot up to her brain, and she braced herself against the doorframe, only to add a few more profanities in her verbal harangue. Because as Fate would have it, she had _conveniently_ leaned her right side against the doorframe, which caused even _more_ pain to erupt within her body's system as the bruises she had let out their discontent.

"Fucking _HELL_ , it fucking _hurts_ , god _damn_!" She cursed under her breath, her brow furrowing into an angry v as she clutched her side. That was the second time today already that she managed to inflict pain on herself.

… Tender body? Not _exactly._

' _That came to bite my ass quickly…'_

She groaned at the immense, but fortunately _short_ , wave of intense pain that had washed over her. With a glare towards the threshold, forever cursing it to ever having existed, did she continue her way, albeit time she _limped_ her way towards the mess hall. It hadn't been the original plan on how she had planned in getting there though.

She swung the doors to the mess open, momentarily pausing to breathe through the pain that had yet to fully recede, but upon entering, and much to _her_ discontent this time, her eyes landed on the table that housed the same ODST gang she had avoided the last couple days, if not the whole _week_ even.

' _Great, they're here too.'_

As soon as her gaze had landed on them, they in turn spotted her standing close to the doorway, with her hand gripping her side, and they all sneered.

Her own eyes narrowed towards them, and feeling more compelled than ever, she raised her hand and flipped them the middle finger.

The leader of the ODSTs was quick to stand up, his face turning several shades darker at her clearly offensive and provocative gesture, but his surrounding buddies pulled him back down, forcing him to sit. One of them gestured to a table further away, and in her curiosity, she followed with her gaze towards where he was pointing, and to her surprise, she was met with a golden visor looking at her.

' _The Spartans.'_

The ODSTs were still intimidated by them, and she was close to send them another crude gesture just because, however, having the Chief looking at her had her change her mind at the last second.

' _Touché for me.'_

She walked over towards the Spartans, albeit maneuvering through the tables that were placed _far_ away from the ODSTs, and as she came up to them, a hand suddenly descended and landed on her shoulder. She nearly jumped in surprise, but upon hearing Frederic chuckle, she instantly felt relieved.

"Hey there, 013. How you feeling from the fight?"

"Sore." Came her quick reply, and another chuckle escaped the faded blue-coloured Spartan. He too had his armor on, the weight of his hand a little heavier than what it had been last time he had placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I bet. But you did good. I'm definitely feeling the aftereffects of the punch you threw onto my jaw. That was hell of a nice punch, by the way."

"Uh, thanks. And sorry. For, you know, for punching your jaw and all." She said rather sheepishly. But Frederic just shrugged.

"It's alright, you're probably feeling just as tender from the kick I landed on you."

"Oh that's for sure, and it's not the only spot either. Try my whole body instead - I feel like a walking, talking bruise at the moment."

"Then you're in a worse state than I had thought, my bad."

"It's okay. After all, I hadn't sparred in a while, so my body wasn't used to it yet."

"That is true."

013 then glanced over towards the ODSTs when the conversation between her and Frederic ended, having felt their gazes digging into her back for some time now. Her gaze connected with the leader of the group, and her jaw immediately tensed up. Of course she would lock her gaze with _him._ Her eyes narrowed in anger, and her brow tilted downwards, the corners of her lips following the same motion. The guy sent her a sneer, and his eyebrow arched upwards. His mouth moved, and although 013 couldn't hear it, she knew too well what he had said.

 _Abomination._

She unconsciously clenched her fists to the point of them turning white from the tension. The staring contest however, was interrupted by the Chief placing his armored hand on her shoulder.

The same spot where Frederic previously had placed his hand.

The Chief forced her body to twist towards him, which involuntarily caused her to twist her head and stare into his orange visor, her gaze being pulled away from the ODST.

"They're not going to come after you. You are with us, so it's unnecessary to worry."

013 swallowed thickly, and then slowly nodded. She knew they wouldn't dare anything while she was under the Spartans' protection, but despite it all, she couldn't help the twinge of fear that crept up her spine. One day she would have to face them alone, without the Spartans' aid.

For they wouldn't be with her forever.

The thought caused her heart to feel heavier, and her shoulders slightly slumped.

"And you fought good yesterday. You took advantage of what I told you." At hearing the Chief's compliment, for he had actually just _complimented her,_ she turned a very surprised glance at him, her gaze having shifted down towards her feet while she had been thinking about them leaving in the future.

"I- … Thank you." Her face blushed lightly, but she fought it down. And she pointedly ignored how her heartbeat and levitated upon hearing his praise. He nodded at her thanks, before lifting his hand and letting it settle back at his side. He then proceeded to turn towards the other Spartans, and that's when she also noticed _Jeff_ standing there with them. 013's eyebrow arched as her lips slightly curved upwards.

" _Jeff?_ The hell you doin' here, buddy?" She called out, and just as she had spoken, he turned to glance towards her. Immediately he grinned and waved upon seeing her.

"What's up, Tutes! I actually came by to ask them if they'd seen you, I was wondering if you wanted to eat lunch together. It's been some time since I last saw ya, you know." At that, 013 just laughed.

"Oh really, as I recall, you've been avoiding me on behalf of your Commander."

" _Sch!_ Don't mention _her_! It'd be like summoning her or something. I managed to throw her off this time, so she doesn't know where I am. Don't jinx it!"

"Alright alright, _fine_ , you paranoid ass."

"I'm not _paranoid_ , she just scares the crap outta me, for real."

"Right, let's go with that."

"I sense you don't believe me."

"And if I don't?" Jeff stared at her, before making a dramatic show of him getting his heart pierced, his hands clutching the left side of his chest, because she didn't believe in the creepypasta story he'd made his Commander out to be.

As they were about to head over to where the food was served, she turned to ask the Spartans if they wanted to sit with them, but the Chief told her they were waiting for Commander Lasky, having some kind of business with him, and so she just nodded and walked away, Jeff in tow.

When both were seated at a table, (that was _far_ away from the ODSTs), Jeff placed his elbows on the table and folded his arms onto the table surface.

"So." He dragged the 'o' out, waiting for the marine opposite him to reply.

But 013 just remained quiet, deliberately ignoring uttering a reply as she instead focused on digging into her food.

Jeff then hummed, before arching an eyebrow and silently staring at her until she would gather her wits to meet his gaze. Over a minute passed by before 013 finally gave a defeated sigh and let go of her utensils, her head rising to meet the gaze of her friend sitting opposite her.

"Yes?"

"You sparred with one of the Spartans."

"… I did, why?"

"No no, nothing, really. Just… How did you _survive?_ You _sparred_ with a _Spartan!_ That's like asking for getting put in the Infirmary again. _Willingly_ , too, and you _hate_ the Infirmary."

013 closed her mouth and clenched her jaw. She knew he'd sooner or later get to know that she sparred with a Spartan, but she hadn't thought it would be this soon. Either way, she might as well get the conversation over and done with, so it wouldn't trouble her later.

"I don't _hate_ the Infirmary, it's just… uncomfortable being in there." She muttered, her eyes downcast as her fingers rubbed against the rim of her glass.

"He went easy on me," she then said, eyes still downcast, her fingers still rubbing against the top of the glass.

"We just went through a couple moves, figuring out and learning each other's fighting styles. Frederic wanted to know whether or not if I could analyze a fight while in one as good as I do it from the sidelines. And apparently he approved, because he complimented me on it."

013 let a restless sigh escape her. She didn't want this conversation, and so it was quite an annoyance. The energy and motivation from before had all but left her.

Her friend sitting across her sat silent, and she figured he was probably digesting her words, mulling them over and over.

"So you're saying… He didn't karate chop your ass and land you in the Infirmary with broken bones. I honestly find it kinda hard to believe. A Spartan's punch, even though held back, still hurts as hell. One guy from my squad got on a Spartan's bad side, and he punched him in the jaw. He was sent to the Infirmary with a jaw that had fractured into several different pieces. Yet you're sitting here, not a single broken bone in your body, despite that you sparred with one of them." She could literally _feel_ the suspicion radiating off of his form, and another restless breath of air escaped through her mouth.

She couldn't tell him the _true_ reason as to why she could handle the spar with Frederic better than any other marine would.

She couldn't tell him that she was a hybrid, a mix of Spartan-and ODST augmentations.

If she did, she'd just end up losing the one friendship that she barely could live without. Jeff was her one and only true friend, the others were just ways of passing time.

Ever since the happenings between her and the ODSTs, she had become more closed off, more wary. The history she had with them were the cause of her becoming less of the social and eccentric person she once had been.

And she would be lying to herself if she said she didn't miss those days... Everything nowadays just felt more… repressed, somehow.

She had been able to trust people easier back then. But she had learned the hard way that perhaps, one shouldn't be so easily in trusting. But then again, she couldn't have predicted that they'd turn on her as soon as they discovered her affiliation with Spartans…

' _I can't lose him too, I just can't.'_

So she gave a sigh, and plastered a gentle smile on her face, her fingers stopping its idle animations as she came to fold her arms on the table surface.

"Jeff, trust me when I tell you that he went easy on me. Before the spar, I told him that I hadn't sparred in a while, and that I was a little weary of the fact that he was a Spartan. He reassured me that he would never do anything that would cause a serious injury, and since I don't have any broken bones, means that he kept his word. So there's nothing to worry about, okay? It was refreshing to get to spar again, and it brightened my mood a lot. Having been taken off the mission roster, then having Command be up my ass about their damn investigation as well as having the ODSTs pulling my leg has taken a lot out of me, I just needed to do something that would lift my spirits a little, you know. And that's what the spar with Frederic did. For once I felt free in doing whatever I wanted, so I took the opportunity. You can't blame me for that."

Her friend held her stare for a short moment before he directed his gaze off to the side, idly staring at a few other marines chatting at a nearby table.

"No, no I can't. I know how that feels like, the freedom of having complete control of what _you_ want to do. There's no regulations, no rules and no Commander to control you, it's simply just… you. I might not be overwhelmed by the fact that you sparred with one of 'em, but it doesn't mean I'll hold it against you. I never will, either." Jeff returned to look at her, and this time, he had his typical smirk on his face.

"Thanks for explaining to me at least, that you did owe me. As your duty as my-"

"-As your best friend, yeah, I know." 013 interrupted him, her own lopsided smile curving the tips of her lips upward.

"Exactly." Jeff replied, and they both erupted into laughter.

"Man, I've missed talkin' to you, the others just don't compare to you."

"Obviously, I'm a one-of-a-kind, and I'm the best, admit it."

"Hell no, if anyone's the best, it's m-"

"Marine." Immediately, her friend froze up, and his eyes widened as an alarmed and panicked facial expression overtook his facial futures. It looked like as if someone had frozen in him in time. 013, curious of what, or rather _who,_ could've caused _Jeff_ to lock up like that, lifted her gaze to glance at the source of the steel-tipped voice.

She was met with a woman's face, which currently had a mask of indifference plastered onto it. The woman had blonde hair, the short tresses framing her face as they reached down to the edge of her well defined jaw. Her cheekbones were prominent, and if 013 were to describe her face in one word, it'd be well-structured.

Upon further scrutiny, she also noticed that the woman had a scar running down from her right brow that went across her eye and then reached to the edge of the bridge of her nose. Despite her milky white complexion, the scar was still quite visible, and it spoke of the profession she had indulged her life in.

She was a picture-perfect image of a marine-no, of a _Commander,_ that had withstood the trials that came with their lifestyles. The woman's steely, blue gaze was battle-hardened and intense, and the air that surrounded her spoke of the strength she had contained within her. She held herself with extreme confidence, and 013 couldn't help but think that the woman was kind of becoming a role model to her already, despite having seen her for the first time today.

But she knew, she knew the woman excelled at her job as a Commander, even though she appeared to be of the strict kind.

Her gaze then returned to look at Jeff, and she noticed how his throat bobbed from the forced swallow he made.

' _I guess she's the one that he calls his Commander…'_

"Your lunchbreak is nearly over. Make sure you come _in time_ for line-up once the clock strikes 12 hundred hours. If you are late, you are to face the consequences without protest." And with that, the woman straightened and abruptly turned and left. 013 followed with her grey orbs as the tall woman walked across the mess hall towards the doors. She interestingly observed how the other marines immediately parted to give way as she neared them.

' _That's interesting…'_

Jeff let out a breath of relief as soon as she had gone, and he slumped in his seat.

" _See,_ I told _you,_ she's scary as _hell_!"

013 smugly looked at him, before replying.

"Nah, I thought she seemed rather interesting. I should talk to her some time, she might be friendly when you're not nearby, who knows." Jeff visibly flinched backwards at her words, and he stared incredulously at her.

"That's it. You really _are_ insane."


	9. Chapter 8 - Painful Realizations

Les go, les go, chapter 8 is now here! This was actually a fun chapter for me to write, although I'm not entirely happy with it. The usual sarcastic spunk I have when it comes to this story, is a bit toned down in this particular chapter, but it still has humor! I guess it has to do with the content of the chapter in general, oh well.

I want to thank those that favved and followed, and especially a _huge_ thank you to those that reviewed. I feel that it's heading in an okay direction that makes sense, so huzzah on that.

As per usual, my replies to those fantastic reviewers!

 **Guest** **-** It's a slowmance, yes, I guess I forgot to mention that, haha! I feel that the plot had to be built around something consistent than just around a romance. There are many variables that affect relationships and their development. Ikr, I thought the Chief to be one to do the fistbump-thing, so I let it happen.

 **Haruna Shikaio** **-** I guess cliffhangers forces readers to remain, you know? If they want to figure out what happens, at least! And thank you, really warms my heart to hear that!

 **SnowiestPilot -** Here's the next chapter, then!

 **TheBoredBoot -** I like your name, just had to say it. I hope you feel it makes sense too, that it all adds up, you know. No one can replace Cortana's place in the Chief's heart, but yes, 013 and the Chief are going to be involved.

 **Spartan091 -** I know _exactly_ what you mean, and I'm superhappy that I'm achieving that! Whenever I read a really good story, I feel so giddy, so thank you! I do believe I have a pretty good idea on how to do the walk and talk of the Chief, same goes for Lasky. Fred I've been a little on and off, because you don't get to interact much, if anything at all with him in the games, but no matter that, he's a pretty damn good gentleman in my books. Speaking of updates, here you go!

And soo, here comes the disclaimer, and _then_ you can read!

 **Disclaimer:** _Nah, I think all of you would've been notified if Halo swapped ownership, which it hasn't._

* * *

 **Chapter Eight – _Painful Realizations_**

They had settled into a nice, regular rhythm of meeting up for training sessions over the past week, the Spartans and her. It was one of the few things she looked forward to every time she went to bed, knowing that when she woke up next, her day wouldn't be the usual dull and repetitive day of walking the corridors of the _Infinity_ with no specific destination in mind.

But despite the training sessions, there were still plenty of hours on the clock that she had to kill, and on this specific day, she had decided to help out Jeff in the hangar, as he was tasked to load the aircrafts with military equipment. The key word was 'help' in that sentence, as she was actually just sitting on one of the crates, watching him carry the same type of crates as the one her behind was currently planted on.

It was hilarious to watch him drag those crates as he occasionally sent a glare her way. He was obviously not happy with her so called assistance, in his opinion she was more like vermin under his feet because she wasn't helping in out, instead acting like some cheerleader standing on the sidelines, cheering him on.

Except she wasn't cheering him on, she was instead mocking him with her lopsided smile and curve of her eyebrow. It was clear as day that she was enjoying him slaving away with the stacked crates.

' _Hope he doesn't get too CARRIED away…'_ The pun had her snort, and she chuckled quietly to herself.

Had she voiced it out loud, she was sure Jeff would've dropped what he was doing and boxed her.

' _Boxed me... Why do I do this to myself…'_

013 swung her legs back and forth, as she was too far up in the air to reach the hangar floor with her feet. It was the next best thing besides jigging her leg up and down. She idly followed her friend with her gaze.

"You know Jeff, you're really doing some great work, it's actually an honor to be the one to refill the aircrafts with missing supplies. I mean, what if a platoon was in a hurry to reach ground to help with a battle against the covvies, and after using up all their ammunition, they go back to the ship to resupply, only for them to realize that they have no grenades or extra ammunition to blow the covvies' asses sky high and pepper them with bullets? That'd be _very_ fatal, don't you think?"

Her inquiry was met with a deadly glare from Jeff, and he muttered his opinion of her vivid fantasy scenario.

" _I_ think that _you_ can shove that _honor_ somewhere where the sun doesn't reach." Came Jeff's rather sour reply. 013 only laughed, her laughter echoing through the hangar even after she stopped laughing. It almost added insult to injury, the remnants of her laughter echoing, because it gave the impression that there were others that were laughing at his unfortunate predicament.

"Laugh a little more quietly won't you? Or actually, don't laugh _at all_ , because I'm pretty sure you're only mocking me by doing that anyway." Came another sour reply.

013 just cocked her head and followed him with her gaze, the mirth visible within her grey orbs.

"Aw but _Jeff_ , I'm here to support you! Why would I _ever_ mock you for carrying out such an important task?"

Jeff momentarily paused in pushing the crate towards one of the aircrafts to throw her an incredulous stare.

"Did you just make a pun?"

013 blinked in surprise, not having predicted that kind of question to be thrown her way, but as soon as she recalled what exactly she had said, she had to hold in her laughter. But Jeff saw her hesitation, and he groaned.

"Oh my god, you didn't know. It's not enough with having you acting as the worst cheerleader ever standing on the sidelines with the task to cheer me on, which you completely _suck_ at doing by the way, but you're also making puns that you're not even aware of. I don't know if I should be proud or just downright disappointed."

"Hey, I am _NOT_ a cheerleader!"

" _That_ was the only thing you decide to focus on, out of everything I had just said?"

"Well, yeah. What'd you expect? You called me a _cheerleader,_ that's insulting to a soldier, you know."

"As insulting as it is to watch me work my ass off with carrying these crates instead of assisting a _fellow soldier_. You're not very good as this whole Code of Conduct thing, are you? There's a reason why it exists, Tutes."

"Geesh, who had the unpleasant task of shoving a stick up your ass…" 013 muttered before hopping down from her spot on the crate.

"Fine, I'll help you out, but you owe me your next lunch."

"I think I'm better off without your help, my lunch has higher priority than your assistance, thank you very much."

"Ouch, and touché, it was worth a shot."

"You're welcome, and no, not really. The crate over there has to go in this craft, and then there's just two more aircrafts to go." Jeff instructed, as he continued with pushing the crate up the ramp and into the ship.

Two hours later, the two found themselves sitting in the mess hall, happily eating their lunches. It was an understatement to say that those crates were no easy task to carry to the aircrafts, and that Jeff had completed half the work by himself… 013 almost felt bad for not helping him out sooner, it was grueling work to get the equipment loaded. But it was too late to be regretful, and so she settled for an apology, knowing that Jeff would appreciate it.

"I'm sorry, Jeff."

He looked up at her, eyes questioning as he had his mouth full of food. 013 smiled at the sight – he looked rather cute, even though his mouth was stuffed with food.

' _Too bad I don't have a camera…'_

"For not helping you out earlier with loading those crates. You were right, it kinda sucked... No matter the honor behind it all."

Her friend before her swallowed the mouthful before letting out a sigh, only for his lips to shift into a smile.

"Don't think too much about it, I'm just glad that it's over now. It'll be some time before I get tasked with doing that again anyway." 013 spun her fork on the empty lunch plate, small scratching noises being made from the movement.

"Still, I should've helped you out earlier." 013 had directed her eyes down to the lunch plate, and Jeff scrunched his eyebrows.

There seemed to be something else that was bothering her, besides her not assisting him.

"Tutes, what's the matter? You're looking rather gloomy." He studied her dejected facial expression when she directed her gaze towards him once again.

"I don't want you to go."

Ah, so she was dejected because he was leaving on a mission.

"I'm not going to be gone for too long, Tutes, it's only for a couple days. It's not goodbye forever." A sad but small smile crept up onto her lips.

"I hope not, or I'll kill you for dying on me."

"As contradicting as that sounds, no one is dying, alright?"

"Promise?"

Jeff dropped his utensils and brought forth his right hand, his pinky finger pointed towards her.

"Pinky promise." And they locked their pinkies together, sealing the promise.

 **12 Hours Later; 013's room, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

Barely a second passed before the beeping of her alarm was turned off, her bleary eyes slowly blinking themselves back to full sight as her mind was assembling itself into functional state. She groggily rose from her position, her back popping from being stretched. The blanket was thrown off her form as she swung her legs over the edge, her feet making contact with the floor. The icy chill of its surface kick started her nervous system, and she was as awake as she could possibly be.

If it was something she despised, it was being cold, the prickling feeling of nerves freezing just a horrid sensation that she would much rather be without.

' _Ugh, mornings are the worst part of the day…'_

She went through her usual routine – shower, dress and brush hair into a high ponytail.

No sooner than 20 minutes later was she out of her dorm, and heading towards the mess hall for breakfast. Despite the time being 0600 hours, the ship was bustling with life, the corridors occupied with others than herself. But no matter how many that were awake at this time, she knew she would most likely be eating alone today - and for the next few days as well, because Jeff and his platoon had already dispatched yesterday evening.

And there was no point in hoping that the Spartans would accompany her either, because they were never seen eating in the mess hall.

Not yet, anyway.

She figured it had to do with them not wanting to flash everyone their identities, and she respected that.

' _This is so going to suck…'_

As she had just seated herself, about to dig in into the sandwich on her plate , someone else suddenly seated themselves at her table, and 013's eyes shot up, wanting to find out who exactly dared to interrupt her by deciding to sit at her table.

Her gaze only widened in surprise upon the discovery.

" _Casey?_ " Her surprised inquiry was met with a gentle smile.

"In the flesh."

013 blinked, thinking for a second that her sight was betraying her.

But no, the individual before her remained, the blonde hair bunched up neatly on top of her head in a tight bun, and the brilliant blue eyes staring back at her.

" _Oh my god_ , what are you _doing_ here!?" The blonde chuckled lightly.

"It has been some time, hasn't it?"

"Try _six and a half_ _years_ , I thought you were stationed on another ship!?" The blonde swept a few blonde tresses away from her face, only for them to return to hang loosely at the sides of her face.

"I was, but they took the decision to move me onto the _Infinity."_

"I get that, because you're currently sitting _here_ , at my _table_ \- but _why_? What's your purpose of being here?" Casey just glanced off to the side, her hands shifting a little as her jaw tensed, but 013 paid no attention the sudden odd behavior, because she was still stuck on the fact that Casey was _here,_ with _her_.

The last time she had seen Casey was six and a half years ago, before she was drafted for candidacy for Project: HYBRID. She had been part of her platoon at boot camp.

"I guess they want to promote me, which means I have to get used to work on a bigger ship, since I've only been on a ship half this size. So all in all, for experience."

"You're being promoted? That's awesome, Casey! Remember when you became Squad Captain back at camp? You were always in charge of Team Red when it came to Capture the Flag."

Casey chuckled at the mention of past times.

"Yes, I do remember that, as much as I remember you being in charge of Blue Team. Your team always set up booby traps that caused us to lose more often than I'd like to admit." 013 just smirked ruefully, her mind remembering the tactics her team used.

"Oh c'mon, you gotta admit that the nets were funny. Seeing your team hanging in them up in the air, waiting to be cut down was hilarious. They were always grumpy…" Casey shook her head, letting out a snort.

"Oldest method in the book, I'd say. Despite them being classical, they were actually very tactical. They deleted the threat quicker than any other trap, because they couldn't get down once trapped. _That_ is why they were grumpy, you know. They were missing all the action."

"Their fault for not being careful in wide and open areas. I mean, who just rushes past like that so carelessly?"

"They did."

"Obviously."

The two erupted into laughter, causing several nearby marines to glance at their table with various facial expressions.

Casey and 013 spent the whole morning just talking and getting reacquainted with each other. She didn't know how much she had missed her platoon and her time at camp, having repressed it all to avoid thinking about Project: HYBRID. Everything before that time, only led up to the experiment she partook in, and deducing that it wouldn't be healthy for her mental state, she just compartmentalized it all and stuffed it way into the back of her mind.

However, their joyful time with each other soon became interrupted, when an officer carrying a rather grim, _too grim_ in her opinion, facial expression, walked over to the two. The officer, who was also female, directed her gaze towards 013, completely ignoring Casey.

"The Board is demanding your presence." 013's smile vanished upon hearing that the Board was announcing a summon, and immediately her eyes narrowed, the corners of her lips tilting downwards.

"Oh, are they now?" She replied, her voice tipped with venom. The officer before her was repressing a sigh, and 013 fully knew she was aggravating her. But she didn't give a shit, because anything and everything that involved the Board, or Command or whatever they wanted to be called, including their little _pet_ standing in front of her, was met with hostility.

That's what they get for being bags of dicks, and for messing with _her_ life, because they didn't have lives of their own.

"Yes, they _are._ I suggest you listen, and follow orders." The officer replied, her behavior becoming hostile as well. 013 just arched an eyebrow slightly as she crossed her arms, meeting the officer's narrowed gaze head on.

"Ah, you _suggest_ I listen?" 013 asked, and before the officer managed to utter an answer, 013 spoke up again, continuing.

"But wait, aren't you also demanding me to follow orders?" 013's eyebrows scrunched together then, forming a fake expression of being in thought.

"Last time I checked, to suggest something and to _demand_ something are two entirely different things, not to mention they contradict each other." 013 then returned to look at the officer before her, now with a bored look on her face.

"So I'd say, based on my analysis, that I don't have to do _anything,_ since the two concepts cancel each other out. So well done, I applaud you on you managing to deliver their message, and I thank you, however, I'll have to ask you to leave so I can return to my conversation which you so rudely interrupted."

013 then turned to look at Casey, who only looked astonished. 013 hiked her eyebrow up, wondering why she looked so surprised.

"What?"

"What do you mean _'what'_? You just spoke against an officer, not to mention outright refusing the Board's summon! Those are military offences for which you can be court-martialed!" Casey whisper shouted.

"I'm not talking back nor refusing the Board's summon, I was simply stating obvious facts, not to mention that I was only pointing on the flaw that the officer made. She gave me the option of free choice, and that's what I'm doing right now – I'm _choosing_ not to go, because it isn't an order."

013 then turned to meet the officer's gaze once again, however this time she was too irked to put on an act.

"And even if it was an order, I wouldn't take it from _you."_

The female officer's eyes widened and her mouth became slightly agape, only for it to snap shut as her eyes turned into tiny slits.

' _Can she even see when she's doing that?'_

"The Board is _summoning_ _you_ , and you are to come with me _right now_ to explain yourself why they shouldn't discharge you for being a Covenant spy!"

Immediately after those words were uttered, the atmosphere turned several degrees colder, and the tension in the air almost became palpable. The officer standing before the marine was glaring daggers, before she came to realize her second mistake. Her perfectly manicured hand shot up to cover her mouth, and her brown eyes widened.

The marine however, leaned slightly backwards, and her expression turned apathetic. There was neither lingering irritation nor aggravation, it all had dissipated after the officer had spoken.

"You believe I'm a Covenant spy." She spoke slowly, _very_ slowly, and the tone of her voice matched perfectly with the facial expression she had adopted – it was as callous as it was indifferent.

"N-no…" Came the meek reply of the female officer.

013's jaw shifted, and she glanced to the side, catching Casey's gaze. She then pushed off from the wall she had been leaning against, and walked over to the officer, only to pass her by. She did however, momentarily stop at the threshold.

"I'll be right back."

She didn't even look over her shoulder as she spoke.

 **Command Deck, Section; Interrogation room, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

013 waited patiently at the doors, her mask of indifference still remaining. Right now, she was cutting off every emotion, simply opting for neutrality, as it was best that way. Dealing with Command kind of required that.

A few minutes ticked by before she was called into the room, the doors before her slowly parting to let her in.

She was met with dim lighting and steel walls, along with a steel table accompanied with an uncomfortable-looking steel chair.

Figuring that they most likely were hiding behind the only black wall in the room, the wall actually being tinted _glass_ , and not a wall, she huffed indignantly to herself. Of course they wouldn't dare show themselves, instead opting for making her feel like a trapped guinea-pig.

Not that she actually felt trapped.

After having seated herself, she stared expectantly at the tinted black window, waiting for them to throw their questions at her.

"Investigation of Spartan-ODST-013 will now commence." Came a robotic voice, and 013 breathed deeply.

' _Let's get this over with…'_

"Spartan-ODST-013, please explain the details of your most recent mission on Covenant Base C-891." Came the raspy voice of what she figured was an old lady.

' _Her voice probably sounds as ugly as she looks.'_ Her mind retorted, before she spoke up.

"I was sent to retrieve Covenant technology on base C-891. The mission was stamped as a solo mission with high mortality rate. I had to walk through the base interior in order to not be spotted. The intel I had been told during debrief, suggested that the technology piece was in the center of the base in its lower sections. Following through with staging a distraction, I eliminated the remaining threat that hadn't followed after said distraction which guarded the technology before making my way back. However, as I was heading through the base for the Pelican, I was surprisingly met with a room full of marines, and _Spartans,_ that were battling against the Covenant. This, I had not been informed of." 013 dryly ended, her eyebrow shifting upwards in question as to why it was so.

Why she hadn't been informed of that particular thing when on-mission, for it was kind of a big deal, since her life had been on stake and all.

"Please refrain from sarcasm, Spartan-ODST-013."

"Yeah yeah, no promises there…" She muttered lowly.

"Were you informed that the Covenant technology you were sent to retrieve was an A.I.?"

"No, I was not."

"Are you sure of your statement?"

"Yes, I am, otherwise I wouldn't say I was."

Either Command had to be dense, or they were trying to get on her last nerve, because if this was the way they would continue their questioning, she would actually start to consider exiting the room, damned be the consequences.

' _Or damned, I'll be…'_

"Do you know who sent UNSC marines along with Spartans to the base?"

' _Du'h…'_

"You guys did - to send assistance, it has to be approved by Command, which are you, so I suppose you approved it. Why?"

There was momentary silence before Command spoke up, this time some elderly man's voice sounding through the speakers.

"Ah, yes, _assist_ you. As to why, we simply must be certain."

She could hear the sneer in his tone, however, her mind picked up how he emphasized the word 'assist', in a negative way.

' _Why would he emphasize that…?'_

The gears within her mind started to spin, and she pictured a figurative puzzle, placing the bits she had in their right place. There were huge gaps in the puzzle, but it presented a somewhat clearer view of what exactly was going on.

The more she thought about the tidbits of information that she had, the more she discovered that several parts of the bigger picture just didn't add up.

' _Why did they send assistance so late into the mission? Lasky would never leave me hanging in such a dangerous mission without sending help right away, and since he's Captain, he gets notified of every mission… And the A.I. they had me retrieve seems to be very important… So then again, why did the staple it as a solo mission…?'_

Then it clicked.

' _Unless they had an ulterior move to the mission.'_

And she knew _exactly_ what their ulterior move was.

It all suddenly made sense, and explained _everything._

They wanted to _terminate_ her.

The reason why they sent assistance so late was because it _wasn't_ assistance - it was a _clean-up crew._ They assumed she would fail, which meant that they wouldn't get the A.I. which _in turn_ explains their presence – _they_ were the ones that were meant to pick up the A.I. - after she had died somewhere, most likely by having become shish kebabed by an Elite or blown to bite-sized bits by a plasma grenade, whatever way that would make sure she was KIA on-mission so Command could sleep at night. And they'd damn well sleep well because her death would only be labelled as an _unfortunate casualty._

It also explained why Lasky, her Commander _,_ hadn't stopped them.

He hadn't been notified of the mission.

013's stomach dropped, and she felt herself becoming dizzy by the shocking revelation.

They actually tried to kill her off.

They wanted her _dead._

It felt like she had just jumped off a cliff, the sensation of being in the air a peaceful serenity, before hitting the surface and getting dunked under water, the force of the fall pushing her downwards. But instead of levitating upwards like you usually do after landing in the water, she just continued sinking, and the panic of seeing the surface from underneath the water slowly slink further and further away, gripped her chest in a vice-like grip. Her lungs felt constricted and the need to breathe was becoming progressively worse.

' _I can't believe them...'_

Was her only thought as she fought against the waves of panic and betrayal that crashed into her. The shock that came with the realization still remained, and it wasn't helping her cause in having to recover herself, lest they would discover that she had figured it all out.

She couldn't show them that she _knew,_ or else all plans of revenge, which she was definitely going to go through with, would fail.

Despite the extreme difficulty in having to cull the panic and betrayal and return to a state of normalcy, she pulled herself together, evening her breathing and placing her mask of indifference back.

Not that it had slipped too much to begin with, but for sake of appearance, she scrunched her brows, and replied with a single word answer.

"Okay."

It was quiet for a few moments and 013 was thankful for it, because it gave her more time to recompose herself. She could still feel the panic and the anger simmering beneath the surface. It would definitely not disappear anytime soon.

"Alright, we are shifting our questions away from the mission, and instead focusing on your service records. Now, we know you have a five year black gap in which you explained has to do with espionage on the Covenant, however we must ask of you to re-explain the events that occurred during this mission, and what you managed to discover."

And so she did just that. She explained the half-lie she had mulled over in her head since the beginning of her service on the _Infinity_ , and she explained what she had discovered - Mass recruitment to build a bigger army, new weapons technology, their plan to attack the outer rims of human colonies… Their plan to kidnap human children to indoctrinate and train to become stone-cold killers, only to play twisted mind games on the human race, as they are forced to see how their own race is fighting against them - for the _Covenant's_ cause.

However, upon relaying that last part, she didn't know she had just played right into their hands, as they now had cause to discharge her, even to _court-martial_ her with the explanation of having been indoctrinated by the Covenant because she was gone for a long period of time.

A long period of time that hadn't been documented anywhere, and so there were no proof of what really went on during those five years.

And so, when they delivered the verdict of the questioning, she could only feel anger and disbelief.

"Spartan-ODST-013, you are currently running the risk of being court-martialed and possible permanent discharge."

Barely two seconds ticked by before 013 flew up from her steel chair, the chair tipping backwards and cluttering to the floor.

" _WHAT?"_ Her face mask finally cracked, showing the true emotions she had been repressing. She was absolutely _livid._

" _Court-martialed?_ Why the _hell_ am I running the risk of being _court-martialed_? I'm spotless since the beginning of my service on this ship, fulfilling the duty of a soldier and marine _perfectly_ – just like everyone else onboard, yet you're blaming me for being a Covenant spy, which you for the record, have no evidence of!" 013 yelled towards the black window that just stared back at her. She could see her reflection in the mirror, along with the anger simmering in her eyes.

Before Command replied with telling her to 'calm down, soldier', and formulate a bullshit answer to her outburst, the doors to her left shifted and opened, giving way for the four Spartans stationed on the _Infinity._

Upon seeing her state, Frederic immediately walked over to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and spinning her around so that she was facing him, and not the black tinted window. The distress she was in was evident on her face, and the glassiness of her eyes spoke of the unshed tears. The grip on her shoulders tightened slightly as he knew whatever they had said to her, had to have been serious.

"Calm down, Tutes, we're here." She only nodded when hearing his whispered words.

"Do you think you can pull yourself together for a little while longer?"

There was another nod, and he breathed deeply.

"Go pick up the chair, we'll handle the questioning from now on, alright." And with that, he steered her towards the tipped chair. He knew that directing her focus from her panic to the mundane task of picking up a chair and placing it in its rightful state had a calming effect on people that were experiencing panic. Having anger thrown into that mix only worsened it all.

Command had ignored her, just like Frederic had said they would, as their focus was now on the Spartans. They relied what had gone down at the base, which matched her explanation. Although, she hadn't known they didn't know of her presence beforehand, but she wasn't surprised.

They were the clean-up crew, meant to find her body and the A.I. and bring both back to the ship.

She felt a little calmer now that she wasn't the victim of the questioning, however her mind was still stuck on the fact that they were planning on court-martialing her. She didn't understand why – why they want to court-martial her, why they want her _gone_. Not telling them about the experiment only actually benefitted them, because if she told them, they'd have to contact ONI HQ and go through tons of paperwork.

And it was something she knew about Command, it was their absolute _hate_ for paperwork.

She was doing them a _favour_ by keeping quiet, but how does she get paid?

By possibly being court-martialed.

Lovely situation she was currently in.

A quiet sigh escaped her, and her shoulders slumped further.

How the hell was she going to resolve this? She only had a limited amount of time to plan her revenge, and set things as straight as they could be, or even try to prevent the court-martial, but she just didn't know how.

The questioning came to an end, and she blinked, taking herself out from her mind's world when noticing movement. She glanced up, and was met with Frederic's visor. He jerked his head towards the doors, and she slowly pushed off the wall and walked towards the doors.

She was almost afraid to leave the room, fully expecting them to tell her she wasn't permitted to leave, but they didn't utter a word.

The doors closed, and she swallowed down the nervous flutter.

Frederic once again came to stand in front of her, but she remained with her glance directed towards the floor.

"Tutes, what exactly went down in there?"

She didn't answer him right away, for she was unsure of how they'd react upon hearing her verdict.

"I…" It was hard to form the correct words, and even harder to try voice them out loud, so she tried again, this time forcing her tongue to be as articulate as it could be, despite the huge lump in her throat.

"I'm possibly getting c-court-martialed…" Her words died out, and she had to repress a sob that wanted to escape through her lips.

"Now why the hell would they want to _court-martial_ you?" Came Frederic's reply, and from the sound of it, he was _very_ unhappy.

She just kept her gaze on the floor, not feeling up for looking at a visor, even though it would be Frederic's visor. Besides, looking at the floor had her mind focusing on its design instead of reliving what had happened in the interrogation room.

"I-I don't…" She sighed, her words once again failing her.

"I'll take care of this. Blue Team, you're dismissed." Came then Master Chief's voice, and she lifted her surprised gaze towards him. He'd been silent up until now, and so she hadn't expected him to say anything.

' _But he did.'_

She wanted to smile, but her facial muscles weren't abiding her.

Frederic lingered a bit longer than Kelly and Linda, and it was clear he didn't want to leave, but 013 reassured him with a nod that it was alright.

She was left alone with the Chief, who only pointed towards a corridor, and quietly told her to follow.

She did, and soon she found herself in another room, this time with no chair, no table and no black tinted window.

There was only silence for a few moments, the Chief letting the silence take over the atmosphere, before he proceeded to bring up the reason why he pulled her to the side.

"The Board said something that triggered your defenses." 013 glanced at him, her brow furrowing. It was a weird statement, but she guessed they did. She was after all quite livid when they came in.

"Well yeah… They want to court-martial me, who wouldn't be pissed at hearing that?" She was returning to her normal self as the seconds ticked by, her sarcasm following along.

But then the Chief uttered something that sparked her irritation once again.

"That usually happens when someone is trying to hide something." He stated.

013 nearly flinched upon hearing his words, not having been prepared _at all_ that he would start _accusing_ her.

Her hands formed fists as she stared incredulously at the Chief. However, he seemed unaffected by it, and only continued his brutal observations.

"You don't seem too surprised. There is something that you are hiding, then."

She couldn't believe him.

She thought they had formed _a camaraderie_ , if the past few training sessions were anything to go by. He'd helped her with her fighting techniques, and even encouraged her to try out new ones, yet here he's now standing, taking Command's side and accusing her.

Was her life predetermined to suck this much?

So she decided to be straight forward, seeing no purpose in lying.

"What if I am?" She finally replied, her words dipped in venom. She didn't let him speak as she continued.

"Everyone has secrets, everyone always has a few skeletons in their closets, but some just happen to have a couple more than the average person. Why? What's it to you anyway? You yourself have your own secrets, but you don't see me questioning you about them." She said harshly, her eyes glaring at his golden visor. Had he not had the visor, she would've been staring right into his own eyes.

The Chief crossed his arms in front of his chest, the armor clanking upon contact.

"That's because I don't let my secrets affect my surroundings. You however, have brought up an investigation because of your secrecy. And now you are faced with possible court-martial."

His words stung worse than she wanted to admit, for he was breaking the thin bond they had, the figurative knife slowly cutting its way through. But she repressed the pain that was blooming in her chest.

"I can assure you that what they're claiming is false, I'm not affiliated with the Covenant in any way but with my gun pointed in their direction. I'm not a spy." 013 then straightened, and walked forward, quickly slipping past his towering form.

"As for your promise; it never happened. You didn't promise me _anything_. Do what you will, but don't involve yourself any further in my life. The repercussions are my own, after all, this is all _my_ fault. " The betrayal in her voice was loud and clear, along with the anger coating it, and no matter how hard-skinned the Chief was, he couldn't help but feel slightly guilty, the twinge of remorse tingling up and down his spine.

Before she walked away, she threw him a few more words.

"I thought our relation meant something… that it meant something to _you,_ but it's clear as day… that it _doesn't._ "

Her footsteps receded, and soon he was left with only silence as his company.

He would take care of it, was it?


	10. Chapter 9 - Discontenting Moments

Okay so, Chapter 9 has arrived! I've heard that people are really looking forward to my chapter updates, and that makes me feel extremely happy because guys, as an author, it makes _everything_ to hear people compliment their stories! And I'm also proud to say that this story has almost reached _**100 followers**_ , all thanks to you guys. Without you, this wouldn't have been what it is, as you've voiced your opinions to me that I've considered. Some are outright hating on the story, but I'm just going to assume they came to troll, however all others that have dropped their reviews- thank you!

I hope you all will enjoy this chapter, as it is personally dedicated to all of you for being so supportive.

As per usual, onwards to the reviewers!

 **Haruna Shikaio -** Just don't fall off your chair, that actually hurts! And here's for you, a new chapter!

 **tsarlanis -** I have no intention of letting her character become a Mary Sue or a damsel in distress, those are so cliché and, let's face it, women are actually strong individuals too. So bet your ass on that I will keep her a strong, independent character!

 **Disclaimer:** _I really wish Halo 6 is going to have a longer total amount of story line, as Halo 5 left it all with a damn cliffhanger._

* * *

 **Chapter 9 –** _ **Discontenting Moments**_

She was feeling more stressed than ever before, with her life slowly falling apart before her like an object dropped in acid.

Meaning it was all going to shit, and said shit was soon about to hit the fan.

When that was however, she had no clue, and if she were to be honest with herself, she would be happier without that knowledge, as it wouldn't loom over her like some doomsday.

In addition, her restless nights were spent with her sitting hunched on her bunk bed, knees bent and head hanging low as she argued with herself inside her mind. She told herself she did right by what she said to Master Chief, but a small part of her, the part that caused _fluttery feelings_ inside her stomach whenever Master Chief was nearby, argued that _no_ , she should go apologize.

But then it just looped, with the other side of her telling her that _why the hell_ should she apologize when he was the one that came on to her, stating that it all was her fault. _Her_ fault that she was running the risk of getting court-martialed. _Her_ fault because she wanted to keep her fucked up past a secret. It _all_ was just _her_ fault. No one else's - just hers.

' _What the fuck did I do in my past life to deserve this kind of crap?'_

Just like the monotone looping of her thoughts, her days looped as well.

Another morning came, which meant another repetitive cycle of her wandering the halls and avoiding everyone. She wasn't in the mood for small talk, for that was the only thing anyone ever came up to her for nowadays. She wasn't allowed to hear any more military secrets, or discuss battle tactics or _anything_ of the sort. Jeff was still away, and Casey was gone under tutelage of one of the higher-ups aboard the _Infinity._

In the end, it was just her, alone.

' _Me, myself and I. We make a good team, don't we…'_ She muttered under her breath as she exited the vicinity of her room. Unsurprisingly, she didn't even have to use an alarm anymore to wake up, as she was up before 0600 hours. Crazy, right?

No, not really - it was more or less a habit that was becoming a part of her usual routine.

Precisely a week - and 12 hours, has passed by since her confrontation with the Board, and her confrontation with the Chief. She had actually seen them in the hallways, the Spartans, but as soon as she spotted them in her peripherals she turned and walked the other way.

She didn't want to have anything to do with them right now, not after what has transpired. The Chief was to thank for it all, as he was the instigator.

The thought of him doing what he did still caused a lot of pain to bloom in her chest, and her heart thumped with heavy thuds.

Her friendship with Frederic was something she'd truly miss, but she just couldn't associate with him if the Chief was present.

Which was almost always.

So she had to cut the ties. Master Chief cut the tie between them, which ultimately lead to the other three as well. It's like the same principle of a ball of yarn- if you unravel one part of the yarn, the rest is just going to follow. Frederic, Kelly and Linda came in the same package as the Chief, and so it left her little option.

As sad and unfortunate as the choice was, 013 ultimately knew it was a sacrifice she had to make in order to find some sort of stabilization in her life. To find a relatively good balance once again.

To her, the Spartans had been huge question marks, and they still are, but now, they aren't anything but _distant_ question marks.

In other terms, it meant that they were only rhetorical questions now, and not direct questions for her to find the answers to.

One of the reason why the Spartans intrigued her so, was the fact that they were surrounded by mystery – she could play detective and figure them out, but apparently, it wasn't meant to be. Instead, they'd probably just become another unsolved closed case.

013 trekked down the corridors to the mess hall, her stomach growling from lack of food. When the double doors came within sight, she hurried her step a little, as she could picture the food on her tray sit in front of her. She pushed the hefty doors open, momentarily coming to a halt after she stepped through them to observe the vicinity.

It was a habit of hers. Or well, a habit of _any_ marine's. It was an automatic action to surveil the surroundings for potential threats, exits, friendlies and objects that could be of assistance.

As her eyes swept across the room, idly glancing over the rather empty tables, they abruptly came to a stop at one particular table.

A particular table where _Spartans_ were seated.

However, instead of being met with the familiar helmets, she was granted with a _very_ unfamiliar sight, seeing faces that she couldn't recognize.

All except for one.

 _Frederic._

Her mind immediately drew the parallels, connecting the dots. There were two women, and one other man besides Frederic, and she knew _exactly_ who he was.

Her stomach fluttered then, doing those weird flipping things, as her eyes widened upon seeing him without a helmet for the first time.

He had dark ruffled brown hair, which was surprisingly not cut in a military haircut. She had actually pegged him to be strict with that sort of thing, but apparently she was wrong.

' _Just like I was wrong about other things when it comes to him…'_ Her mind sourly thought.

He had rather sharp facial futures too, with a straight nose and defined jaw. She could see that he was a man with age under his belt, the hardened face having prominent wrinkles at the corners of his eyes and lips along with his forehead. When her grey eyes landed on his, she immediately thought he had the darkest and most beautiful blue eyes that she had ever seen on anyone. And they were alluring _as hell._

It was like they were silently seducing her, without his knowing.

But then as if someone flipped a switch within, her eyes narrowed, and her jaw clenched shut. 013 quickly snapped her eyes away from his to linger on the other three, mainly on Frederic.

She pointedly ignored looking near him _,_ simply because he was the cause of her life turning several degrees worse than it had previously been. He had taken away something that started to really matter in her life.

Which was him, and them.

He was _also_ the main reason as to why she was so _torn_ , her heart aching from the pain of broken trust.

When her eyes connected with Frederic's, she could make out the sadness within, and how he seemed to want to call her over.

The two women seated opposite of him glanced her way, but she didn't meet their gazes. She did however, notice in her peripherals that Kelly had a short bob cut, with her hair colour a few shades darker than her own, while Linda had her hair pinned up in a short ponytail, the fiery auburn tresses sticking up into the air as if defying gravity.

A wave of pain washed over her, as her mind provided flashbacks to her interactions with Frederic, before the whole fight started.

And since her stormy grey orbs were still interlocked with Frederic's, he could read the bitterness and barely contained anger that was displayed within her eyes. It caused his working jaw to snap shut.

Actually, what he also saw that she didn't know, was that her eyes had become glassy from unshed tears.

Another crashing wave of pain and memories washed over her, and she just couldn't bare it anymore. 013 jerked her eyes away from the teal green eyes staring back at her and quickly spun on her heel, exiting the mess hall through the doors which she had only moments ago stepped through.

So much for eating breakfast.

When 013 had gone, Frederic turned a rather accusing glance towards the Chief, his eyebrow pointedly arched. The Chief however, remained silent, diligently continuing eating his food despite the ordeal that had just taken place.

He knew that 013 had been standing at the mess hall doors, having glanced towards the entrance as soon as the clatter at his table quieted. He himself had seen how her gaze swirled with several different emotions when he met her gaze.

He also knew that he was the cause of them.

The soldier next to him hummed, and deciding to address the apparent issue, he finally let his utensils sink down to rest against the plate as he lifted his gaze to meet that of his fellow teammate.

"You do know you're going to have to fix that sometime soon. I don't know what you did, but whatever it was, it was wrong." Frederic said, going straight to the point without much care that he might be provoking his Commander, or that he was most likely stepping out of line. However, someone had to tell the Chief that his course of action was faulty. And that someone was him.

The Chief's jaw tensed upon having the fault pointed out, and he found that he wasn't sure exactly on how he should respond. His subordinate was stepping over the line, but at the same time, those lines didn't matter if it affected them all.

"That girl might have her secrets, but so do we. I enjoyed her company, and I believe Fred and Linda did too."

A grunt came from Linda, as she agreed with Kelly in her own way, which was quite aloof and non-caring, ironically enough. Kelly looked over towards her Commander with a gentle but stern gaze.

"I believe it is time to make amends, John. Don't let it fester."

And with that, the three Spartans returned to eating their breakfast in silence. They knew the Chief had heard them, as he currently sat in his own silence, mulling over what they had said.

 **24 Hours Later; Mess Hall, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

013 didn't skip breakfast this time, as she entered through the mess hall doors in the early morning. She barely glanced over at the Spartans' table, as she wasn't one to willingly indulge in self-inflicted pain. Instead, she just grabbed her tray and sat down at an empty table that was located a few rows away from the Spartans. She sat with her back positioned against them, because she didn't want to be reminded more than necessary of what she had lost.

But her moment of peace didn't hold for long, as she was interrupted by the one gang she hated most.

The shitsticks.

Also called _Team Airhaid and Co_.

Meaning the _ODSTs_.

They came to a stop right behind her, and 013's facial expression visibly darkened. It was one thing having to deal with avoiding the Spartans, but having _them_ come bother her ass was another. Her mood wasn't in it, nor was she feeling up to deal with their shit.

"Well well well, why aren't you sitting with your little Spartan gang?" Came their leader's demeaning question.

013 just remained silent, instead taking another bite from her sandwich than offering up a reply, as she didn't want to deal with them.

' _I'm eating, can't you see?'_ She drawled sarcastically within her mind.

Her silence was apparently not very appreciated, as the leader suddenly shifted and leaned over her, intruding in her personal bubble.

"It's rude to ignore people, _Tutu_. Have you and your buddies gotten in a catfight? Is that it?" He probed on. 013's brow ticked, but other than that, she still didn't say anything.

' _Rude to ignore people? It's rude to be all up in people's faces too.'_ She then let out a quiet huff of breath.

' _I honestly don't want these people here right now. For fuck's sake, can't they take a hint…?'_

"Speak _up_ , bitch. He's asking you a question." One of his pals responded with when they understood that she was once again not going to answer them. When a hand descended on her shoulder to turn her around so they all could sneer at her, her patience finally came to an end.

Swiftly she grabbed a hold of the hand that was on her shoulder before twisting it into a painful lock, before shifting her body to glare at them sideways.

"Listen up, _buddies._ I'm not in the mood to take your fucking crap at the moment, alright? If you're all so desperate, then we can have our little playtime later in the gym, but other than that, _leave me the fuck alone._ " Her voice was full of irritation and sweet bitterness. Her dark glare swept over all four guys before her, slowly shifting between them to make sure they all got the message. Deeming that that they _did_ seem to understand the words that came out of her mouth, 013 let the hand she had twisted into a grip go, and it was immediately pulled back and nursed against a broad chest.

' _Wimp.'_

The leader of the group held her gaze for a moment, before he let out a huff of air and rose.

"Alright. You heard her, we got us a _date_ later. But be sure to be there, or I won't be as lenient next time."

' _Lenient my ass.'_

The ODSTs shuffled away, probably leaving the mess hall all together, but she didn't care to watch their backs as they walked away. Instead, she turned to stare down at her tray, the half-eaten sandwich lying there, before rising herself and walking over to drop it off.

She had lost her appetite.

There were a couple things she had missed out when deciding to have her back turned against the Spartans' table.

She didn't see how Frederic had to restrain himself from walking over to her as soon as the ODST gang approached her, or how the Chief's jaw clenched when he spotted the leader placing his hand on her shoulder. She didn't see the glint of approval in Linda's eyes when she twisted the hand away from her and then told them to fuck off, or Kelly's slightly surprised facial expression when the gang actually left without doing anything.

She didn't see at all that despite them being in an argument that caused them to be on unspeakable terms, they had been provoked when the ODSTs walked up to her.

They felt the need to protect her, which meant that she had actually become a _part_ of them. She was seen as something territorial, something that belonged to _them_.

In other terms, she was slowly being accepted as part of their family, but that process was now in danger of being eradicated.

Because she was a target for court-martial, and permanent discharge.

 **Hallways, Section; Upper levels, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

013 wandered aimlessly through the corridors of the ship, her eyes not really focusing on anything in particular. When she came to a corridor that contained glass windows, she momentarily stopped to glance outside, towards space.

The black canvas of nothingness spread out before the glass window, and a small smile tugged on her lips. If there was something she truly appreciated, it was _space_.

Space had no boundaries - it was just there, existing. It had so many unsolved mysteries, and provided questions that would only be replaced by new ones when they were answered. It was an endless cycle that had no plans of ever stopping.

There was still so much out there, in the galaxy. Or well, galaxies really. They were probably over several hundred thousands of galaxies with their associated stars and planets, just waiting to be discovered and explored. Humanity had most likely only just discovered a tiny, barely significant part of it all, and idly she wondered if they would be capable enough to ever discover more than that. Or if they would just be stuck with their tiny part of space that'll expand from further space explorations, yet it would still only remain as a small part of the vastness of space.

Space would always be one step ahead, if not several.

013 pushed off from the steel wall and started walking once again, her moment of being just herself over. She had a _date_ to get to –not that really cared if she was late or not.

After all, being fashionably late meant that you prioritized more important matters beforehand.

And it wasn't like she looked forward to her _'date'_ anyway, for she already knew that it was going be one crappy date.

That tended to happen when one is forced to go somewhere with people you don't like, or have utter dislike for. Or borderline hate, whatever floats the boat.

013 pushed the gym doors open with more force than necessary, her duffelbag swinging from the applied force. She had already changed into her training garments, as she didn't exactly prefer to change in the locker rooms were people were present. If she received _one_ more curious glance she would punch the person standing closest to her.

People should know when to mind their own damn business, but apparently the _Infinity_ contained more idiots that she originally thought.

' _How hard can it be to just go about and do your own fucking thing than bother with someone else's business…'_ She muttered silently to herself as she walked up to an empty bench and dropping her duffelbag by it.

A mandatory sweep around the room told 013 that the shitsticks had yet to arrive, and so she set out for doing a warm-up, wanting to be as prepared as possible for the on-coming sparring matches.

Even though she was strong and more than capable enough to take a stand against them, she was unsure of whether or not she could take all four. They all were pretty hunky, and they had a lot of muscle mass, however it meant they would be slower in their movements, and not as flexible. Which was a benefit to her, for she was the opposite. Being quick and striking fast was actually one of the best tactics when taking on an opponent of any size, but the huge downside to it all was that if you got hit, you would most likely lose the upper hand, as a slow but hard packed punch deals a lot of damage.

' _Perhaps they're lacking just enough in the brains department for me to use it to my advantage.'_

Half an hour passed by, and 013 dealt three consecutive strikes onto the punching bag before ducking and repeating the process. However, just as she was about to perform another set of punches, the gym doors were heavily slammed open, the sound of steel meeting steel echoing all throughout the room. The attention of those within the gym was directed towards the people that had entered, including 013, and she sighed upon seeing who had entered.

' _Apparently they're the ones that are fashionably late, oh the irony…'_ She chuckled quietly to herself, as she had not predicted that they would come later than her. In fact, she had almost fully assumed that they would've been in the gym when she entered, eagerly waiting for their fight.

But her assumption had been wrong, and she could only laugh at the bitter irony.

"You're already here, Tutu, how cute. Couldn't wait for us to arrive sooner, huh?"

"To the contrary, actually. I almost thought you would ditch on me, having chickened out and all." 013 immediately replied, her eyebrow arching as she cocked her hip and crossed her arms in front of her chest. There was a small smirk playing on her lips as she took in their reactions to her rebuke.

"Why you little-"

"Calm down, save it for the fight." One of his goons interrupted, his beefy hand grabbing a hold of their leader's shoulder to possibly restrain him if he decided to start the fight early, without having entering the sparring ring.

"Oh, eager are we. Who's up first to receive a knuckle sandwich?" 013 asked as she jerked her head towards the sparring ring. Unfortunately for her, she stood too far away to see the malicious glint within the leader's beady eyes.

"Oh, how 'bout we spice it up a little than just single fights? Why not two on one, or are you too scared to have your pretty little ass kicked?" 013's eyes quickly narrowed upon his provocation, and she clenched her jaw. She inwardly knew that she would be signing up for her own possible demise by letting his words get to her, but she also didn't really care. She had far too much anger simmering in her system already, both from seeing the Spartans and from their conflict in general.

Not to mention the possible court-martial that she was facing.

She actually felt a little betrayed by the fact that the Spartans had decided to take off their helmets and flash their identities to everyone aboard the ship, before showing her first. She thought that since she was the closest one to them out of everyone onboard the ship, excluding Lasky, she kind of would've had the privilege of being the first to see their faces that were underneath their helmets.

But no, it wasn't so, as she had walked into the mess hall and seen them in all their human glory.

"Not to say that those would be uneven odds, but fine, we'll fight two on one. Don't go crying to your Commander when you're the ones that end up having your ugly behinds kicked." 013 finally decided to reply, agreeing with their childish terms.

A glance was shared between the four ODSTs as she turned to pick up her water bottle, taking a hearty swig from it before setting it down to unwrap the gauze wrapped around her hands to rewrap so they sat steady.

013 glared at the four brawns-without-brains that had come up to the bench she was at, before she passed them by to head for the sparring ring.

She ignored the not so subtle glances shot her way when she approached the ring, two of the ODSTs following behind.

Of course the surrounding people would have their interests peaked – there was going to be a showdown.

A _fight_.

It always had people flocking.

Soon she stood at her end of the ring, and the other two standing opposite her, facing her direction.

"The usual rules apply, no eye-poking or biting. When the opponent is on the floor for 5 seconds, back touching the surface, the fight is over. If the opponent declares surrender, the fight is also over. Got that, sweetheart?" The leader announced, a smirk on his lips. 013 however, just opted for a short nod and an eye-roll.

Did he seriously think she didn't know the basic rules of fighting?

' _Dumbass.'_

The fight commenced when he gave the signal, and 013 directed all her focus onto the two opponents standing before her. She immediately noticed that they were both orthodox fighters, meaning they fight right-handedly.

It was actually the most common stance when it comes to fighting, compared to those that are southpaws. In general, southpaws are harder to fight against, as they are mirror images of orthodox fighters, and are therefore much harder to read. Southpaws rely on their left side, as they are left-handed fighters, more than their right side.

That's not to say they keep their right side unguarded though.

She herself was an orthodox fighter, as she was forced to learn the right-handed way in fighting. Otherwise, she was ambidextrous – capable of using both her left-and right hand to do things. She preferred to write with her left hand however, but when it comes to gripping things or having to use force of any kind, she opted for the right. Mainly because she had more force in her right arm from her orthodox fighting style.

The left goon was the first to test the waters, as he sent a jab towards her. 013 easily avoided the punch that came directly after the jab, and took a step to the right. It gave her the opportunity to throw a punch towards the guy standing on his buddy's right side, and it landed on his arm as he wasn't paying too much attention.

"Wake up, sleeping beauty." She voiced in sing-song tunes, the comment earning her a glare from both of them. She chuckled and ducked the incoming swings coming her way.

While low, she decided to try sweep them off their feet, and her leg quickly shot forward.

It was a bit of a surprise that she actually managed to sweep the legs out from one of them as the other managed to jump over. Not one to waste the opportunity, she rolled forward to get close to the one still lying on the mat, and punched him three times in succession on his chest.

He groaned from the impacts, and 013 then moved away, deeming it too much of a risk to continue punching him.

Her calculating eyes analyzed the options she had before her – the two were now back up on their feet, one a bit more roughed up while the other just looked riled up.

' _I'm not sure how to terminate both… But if I go for specific pressure points to mess up their body systems…'_

It was quite convenient that she found the human nervous system intriguing, as she was quick to learn about its weaknesses and strong points.

And right about now, it was going work to her benefit.

' _Hell yeah, let's get cracking.'_

013 continuously avoided their jabs, punches, kicks and sweeps. She was always just a bit too far away from their punches to connect with her, and they leered at her every time they missed. She knew that she was aggravating them by being on the defensive, but that was exactly was she was aiming for.

By tiring them out and fueling their aggravation, they would soon become narrow-minded as they would instead focus on being angry than of focusing on the fight.

Her golden opportunity came directly after another failed attempt to sweep her legs from under her, and she quickly came up close to him, ducking low as her hands were already reached forward to find the pressure points at his joints by his knees. Without control of his knees, there would be no balance.

With no balance, he was going to be stuck lying on the floor.

And if his back was connected with the floor for over 5 seconds, he was out of the game.

A win-win.

It went exactly as she had predicted, and the beefy goon fell down onto his knees. She quickly swept his legs from under him to get his back onto the floor, before crawling on top of him to keep him steady as she counted the seconds.

However, the downside to having to hold him down, was his buddy's free card to deal damage to her.

When his fist connected to her side, she winced from the powerful impact.

' _That fucking hurt…'_

And the thing was, he didn't go for any other spot. He kept punching her side, the same spot, over and over. Her ribs were taking a really hard beating, and the flesh covering them felt like it was melting off of her as it was beaten ruthlessly.

When the five agitating seconds passed by, 013 felt her own anger prickle and simmer over, and she hopped off his pal before shifting her eyes to the one remaining standing.

The livid anger within her grey orbs caused him to take a step back as his brow furrowed.

013 had her eyes slightly narrowed as she slowly approached him, the stickling pain in her side only a reminder of the dick move he had pulled.

Rather than being efficient to throw her off from his ally, he instead decided to beat her side black-and blue. For what purpose, she didn't know, nor did she care.

The jerkface before her had tested the end of her patience, and she was now at the end of her line.

"You're going to regret doing that." She hissed. She knew that he had heard, as the fear within his eyes flared. She came at him her fist flying, and it connected with his chin. He tried to block her vicious punches, but he was too slow compared to her swift and fluid fighting style.

She soon had him calling surrender, and she then backed off. She was still pissed beyond, but she had enough respect to know when a fight was over.

"Next time, try helping your ally instead of leaving him fucking hanging." 013 told him as he exited the ring, and he nodded meekly. For being a muscle package, his body didn't fit well with the attitude he exhibited.

She idly wondered if he was being peer pressured by his other pals to act tough, as he seemed relatively smart enough to know right from wrong.

He did always hang in the back when the other three were nearby.

She suddenly heard slow clapping coming from the sidelines, and her gaze snapped to the one who was applauding.

It was none other but the king of the junkyard, the _Airhead_ himself.

"Well that was brave, you managed to survive and win. But tell me, does your side hurt?" He sneered, and 013 huffed an irritated breath.

"Whether my side hurts or not, is not your fucking business. Now can we get this last fight over and done with? I got matters to attend."

"Matters you say? _What_ matters might those be, Tutu? You're off the mission roster, you're banned from hearing military secrets, and from what I've heard, you're running the risk of getting court-martialed. Now, I always knew you were a troublemaker, but possibly getting court-martialed? That's on the verge of being a tad bit too stupid, now isn't it?" He tsk'ed after ending his mini harangue.

013 stared blankly at him for a while as her mind processed the fact that he had managed to get a hold of that information. No one was supposed to know except for those involved.

It was a need-to-know basis.

"How the hell do you know that I'm possibly getting court-martialed?" She questioned, all else momentarily forgotten. The leader just cocked his head to the side and smiled a menacing smile.

"I have my sources, Tutu, but you're not going to know how. No military secrets, remember?" He jeered at her.

Anger swept through her body from his words.

 _Of course_ he'd provoke her with that fact.

' _Fucking dick, he's going down.'_

The leader leisurely climbed into the ring through the ropes, his other buddy following closely behind.

When one of the guys situated at the sidelines announced the start of the fight, 013 made a come hither motion as her grey orbs zoned in on the leader. Her focus was going to be on him, despite his little back-up buddy standing at his side.

The three soldiers within went up against each other, each one throwing their respective punches. 013 had to break free several times from his goon trying to make a body grip on her, but at his latest attempt she had been too slow.

A hard-packed punch landed on her chin.

It rattled her bone structure, and 013 massaged the side of her face before resuming with throwing a right hook to his goon's side. It connected and he recoiled backwards.

For over 10 minutes did they go about the roundabout of jabbing, punching, stepping back and then proceeding with another set of attacks.

But then, a glance passed between the leader and his goon, and 013 felt premonition upon seeing their passed glance.

Suddenly the back-up buddy came rushing towards her, and she tried to throw his momentum off, however she was distracted when a punch came from the other direction, forcing her into dropping low. But upon doing so, her legs were pulled out from under her and she landed on her stomach with an _'oomph'_. She was dragged a short distance across the mat before being lifted, her arms getting locked behind her back. 013 struggled fervently to break free, but he only applied more pressure, causing her to finally stop her attempts as her face twisted into a painful grimace.

The leader before her dropped his arms to his sides as he walked up to her, his facial futures morphing into a menacing expression. Not anything about her predicament felt good, as this wasn't how a fight was supposed to go.

She wasn't supposed to be held against her will like this, as the fight only ends if she calls surrender or end up with her back pressed against the mat.

But she was doing none of those things, as she was just held there like a piece of bait.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?!" 013 growled accusingly as her grey orbs narrowed in anger and confusion. The corners of her lips twisted downwards, and a groan escaped from her when the goon behind her applied even further pressure to agitate her.

"Oh, I'm just exacting my revenge, sweetheart." The muscle package before her said. He momentarily glanced down at her before resuming with gazing over the vicinity of the gym.

' _Is he trying to look like as if he's watching some kind of fucking nature scenery?'_ She muttered silently to herself.

"You see, a while ago we were _interrupted_ from our little conversation, as your Spartan friends intervened with something they shouldn't have. It's rude to leave people hanging like that, so now, I feel like _finishing_ that conversation." He then leaned in, his murky blue eyes staring right into her own.

"And since you're so good with words, you should know that actions speak louder than words. Let's put that to the test."

013 was never given the chance to reply as his punch landed just under her diaphragm, causing all the air in her lungs to be forcibly exhaled and her body to cripple from the power-induced blow. Just as she almost recovered from the punch, another one was delivered, causing her once again to choke on air.

"It's really thanks to your Spartan pals that you're on the receiving end right now. Had they not interrupted, you wouldn't be here." The leader growled, as he swung his fist towards her once again. This time, the punch landed on the same place that one of his buddies had previously targeted.

A muffled cry of pain escaped through her clenched teeth. White hot pain flashed before her shut eyes, and her side felt excruciatingly more painful for every second that ticked by.

Another fist connected with her already tender side, and all of a sudden, a snapping sound was heard.

013 couldn't contain the shriek that sounded from her mouth, and unshed tears began running down her cheeks. Even the goons standing on the sidelines and the one holding her winced upon hearing the eerie snapping of bone, and one of them had to look away, his eyes full of regret, guilt and pain.

He had after all participated in the breaking of her ribs – not that he predicted that his leader would actually go so far to _break her bones_ for the sake of revenge. Had he known, he wouldn't have done what he did, as the guilt tearing at him was feeling heavier than the heaviest machine gun.

The leader of the ODST pack leaned in close to 013's face, his breath washing over her facial futures.

"That's what you get for messing with me. Next time, don't get on my fucking nerves, _abomination-trash._ " And with that, he delivered one last blow, his fist connecting with her right eye, causing pain to bloom underneath her skin.

A growled out command caused the grip on her arms behind her back to slacken before she was gently laid on her side – the side that didn't have two broken ribs, and receding footsteps then echoed throughout the gym.

A last glance from the ODST walking in the back was sent her way before the doors were shut, and the girl was left lying in pain on the mat, the gym empty since the beginning of the fight.

She hadn't paid attention to the leader commanding everyone to get out unless they wanted to face the consequences and having him to deal with.

But right now, her focus lay elsewhere, as she was fighting with her mind, telling it to not succumb to unconsciousness.

However, her conscious shut down 15 seconds later, leaving her dead to the world with a battered body slowly trying to mend itself from the damage it had sustained.


	11. Chapter 10 - Wistful Thoughts

The only thing I really have to say about this chapter is... Be prepared.

Thanks to them favvers, followers and reviewers!

 **Dragonblade94 -** Well what can I say, besides thank you? Oh, and I know how that feels, it's really antagonizing to wait for a new chapter of a story that you're loving, and while I feel giddy about it ('cause I'm making y'all wait, _**mwoahahah**_ ), I also feel bad because this time I'm the one that's controlling the chapter updates. Anyhow, here's for you!

EDIT: I ALMOST FORGOT TO ANSWER THIS REVIEW, OHMYGOD, I'M SO SORRY! I THOUGHT I HAD ANSWERED IT BUT MY BRAIN TRICKED ME.

 **tsarlanis** \- First of, thank you  so much for that healthy dose of opinions, I love it! I'll address the matters in your review one by one, so that you and everyone else gets a good and readable explanation. Yes, the Spartans aren't front centre in this fiction, and it's meant to be like that. They're supposed to have that mysterious element surrounding them, but at the same time, the readers get enough insight to fully understand what kind of characters they're dealing with when reading the story. And no, MC isn't going to be that stereotypical guy rescuing damsels in distress (013 isn't a distressing damsel anyway, so that's alright). As for her character and her accompanied flaws - yes, she has that one huge flaw, the Achilles heel. Everyone has one huge faulty flaw in their personality, and hers happens to be that she doesn't know when to back down. If she is provoked, she's going to make damn sure that the one who provoked her did so wrongly, as she has a low tolerance for bullshit and provocations. And because of this, it led her to her unfortunate predicament.

Lastly, Kelly and the revenge on the ODSTs. Kelly hasn't gotten a lot of spotlight, and that is also something I did on purpose. Frederic and MC and Linda have all shown parts of their personality, but Kelly hasn't. It's because she is a very closed-off individual, she's not much for giving away information about herself, and that includes about _everything -_ from habits to body language. And as the story progresses, Kelly is going to progress as well, and trust me when I say that I have stuff in store when it comes to Kelly. She'll have her nice spot in the spotlights. As for the revenge on the ODSTs, yupp, they're not out of the picture for a couple chapters to come. They're one of the main antagonists, and so it's going to be handled precariously, as they too have their story-line planned out already. How it's going to play out though, you're all simply going to have to wait, mwoahahah. (I keep doing this evil laugh today, what's wrong with me, it's sunday?).

 **Disclaimer:** _What? Halo 6 isn't out yet? Damn. If only I owned the franchise... -dramatic swoon-_

* * *

 **Chapter 10 –** _ **Wistful Thoughts**_

Once again, she was met with fluorescent lighting and whitewashed walls, which meant she was at the Infirmary.

Hadn't she said that the chances of her returning here were so slim that they were more or less nonexistent?

She believed she had said that, at least to herself.

Apparently, she had been wrong.

She seemed to be wrong about most things as of late, and she thought to herself that perhaps she was sustaining a hidden concussion or something, as she had had an almost flawless sense of judgment before.

' _Nah, I'm not turning delusional.'_

Her heavy eyelids fluttered open, and almost immediately she regretted having opened her eyes at all.

Or well, _eye_ , the other one seemed to be permanently glued shut.

' _Has someone taken my other eye or what?'_

Her hand came to her face to touch the eye that refused to open, and upon connecting with the skin, a zing of pain shot through her nervous system and she cursed.

" _Fuck_ that stung like a bitch…" 013 then came to the conclusion that apparently, her eye had only swollen up, and not been taken.

"Why is my eye swollen…" She mumbled, before twisting her head to look around. She was definitely at the Infirmary, because it was just white _everywhere._

A sound brought her attention to the door, and her eye crinkled as her lips twisted into a small smile.

"What's up, Doc? Long time no see." The blonde doctor halted in her step and directed her glasses towards 013, who was lying on the bed a few meters away. The female sighed, and clutched the pad she was holding with one hand so she could gesture towards 013 with the other.

"I thought I told you to stay out of trouble, yet you end up here with two broken ribs, a swollen eye and a minor concussion. That is the complete opposite of 'staying out of trouble', 013."

Upon hearing the doctor list her injuries, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"What? How did I end up with two broken ribs, a swollen eye and a minor concussion?" The blonde doctor before her arched an eyebrow before worriedly sweeping her gaze over her form.

"You don't remember?" 013 shook her head at the inquiry.

"No. But seriously, Doc, what the hell happened?" A frown swept over the blonde's facial futures, and she reprimanded 013 for her swearword.

" _Language_."

"Yeah, yeah…" The marine muttered in reply, not bothering to apologize.

The doctor then walked up to her, the worried expression having returned.

"You were carried here by one of the marines. He said you were lying unconscious on the sparring mat. No one knows what happened exactly, but there is talk that a couple of ODSTs ushered everyone out of the gym to have a fight. I'm guessing you were the one they were fighting." The doctor told her, a hint of pity tinting her words.

' _ODSTs? A fight? What?'_

Her brow crinkled further, and she shifted her head to dully stare at the white ceiling. The symmetrical rectangles placed next to one another looked like they would move by the slightest touch.

' _Maybe if I stand on a chair, I can shift the plates and climb up to crawl through the ceiling… Wouldn't that be fun…?'_ She idly thought to herself.

"Are you paying attention to what I'm saying?"

"Huh, what? You were saying something, Doc?" The doctor stared at her for a few seconds before her hand rose and she pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I said, you are most likely suffering from temporary memory loss. It all should come back in a few days, maybe weeks. At most, it might even take a month or two, but for now, you are staying here." 013 grumbled under her breath.

"I really don't like this place, do I have to stay here? Can't I go after you've wrapped my broken ribs and given me a healthy dose of morphine for my pain?"

"No, absolutely not. You are staying here for the time being. You will be dismissed when I deem you healed enough. And you are dealing with memory loss, which is going to be an issue because you wouldn't be able to find your way on this ship." And with that, the female turned on her heels and resumed to walking into the intersecting room, leaving 013 to glare after her.

"Stay here my ass…"

Inwardly she knew she would listen to Doc's words, but it didn't mean she had to _like_ her current situation.

' _Crap. So what to do? There's no TV, no cards, no company… I could count the rectangles on the ceiling…'_

About an hour passed by before the doctor returned, this time with gauze and two tubes filled with some unknown substances.

"Alright. Sorry for the delay, 013. Other matters got in the way. Now let's take care of your ribs. Are you feeling any pain?" The doctor fired off her questions, and all 013 could do was numbly nod her head for yes or shake her head for no.

As the blonde went about wrapping her upper torso after having applied one of the unknown substances that caused her skin to tingle and feel funny, 013 remembered that she mentioned 'other matters'.

"What did you mean by other matters, Doc?"

At the inquiry, the doctor momentarily paused in her actions, her hands hesitantly stopping their motions.

"… A squad of marines recently returned and needed to be looked at before being assigned their rooms." She said carefully, her eyes studying 013. Was she trying to discern something?

"Did anyone die?" 013 blatantly questioned, her eyes curiously looking at the doctor.

"No, no one died, but there were three that suffered damage from a grenade and falling shrapnel."

"Any severe injuries?" 013 carried on, not at all bothered by the fact that a _grenade_ had been involved. The doctor furrowed her brow before replying.

"… A loss of an arm." The blonde doctor then returned to wrapping her ribs.

"You might know one of the injured." Came her voice then after a few minutes of silence. 013 glanced back at the doctor, her gaze having returned to the roof after their conversation ended.

"Do I?" the doctor nodded slowly, glancing at the marine before returning to focus on her work.

"Jefferson Clark."

"Jefferson Clark… Nope, don't know him."

"You usually call him Jeff." 013 heaved a breath, trying to remember if she knew anyone named Jeff. Or Jefferson.

"… No, still nothing. Are you sure it's the same guy? How do you know I know him?" The doctor smiled a small smile, before answering.

"Well, this isn't your first time being in this Infirmary, and often when you are here, Jefferson has visited you. You have a nice friendship with each other, always verbally insulting the other." The blonde remarked, before chuckling lightly. It caused 013 to crack a wide smile, the corners of her lips curving upwards.

"I knew it! You _do_ have a sense of humor!"

The female doctor laughed, before shaking her head in forfeit.

"I never said that I didn't."

"No, but your attitude has always been on the stern side." The doctor arched an eyebrow, glancing at 013 again before tucking in the end of the bandage and making sure it sat firmly. She then lifted from her bent over position before standing up and rounding the bed to assess the marine's swollen eye.

"How come you remember that? You don't remember who Jefferson is, but you can remember my so called 'stern attitude'? Not to mention you recall the nickname 'Doc' that you have given me." The doctor prodded at the eyelid, trying to discern how much salve she should apply to it. 013 only hissed upon the contact, and had to refrain from flinching away from the Doc's cold fingers.

"I don't know, I just remember for some reason." 013 tried to shrug, but it only came out as a half-shuffle, and the fabric of her gown scrunched up.

"Perhaps you have to _see_ to spark the memories that are currently lying dormant..." The doctor analyzed, and she then gave a nod to herself, before resuming with her questions.

"How much exactly do you remember, 013?"

The marine lied in silence, her mind working to make up an answer. It was really hard, because it felt like she was grasping at straws, as she didn't really _remember_ anything. She just felt that the Infirmary and Doc was something familiar to her. If she thought further on it, she didn't know _why_ she felt familiarity.

"I can't remember anything, just my name, and this… This _familiarity_ of being here and calling you Doc." 013 then said. It was the best answer she could come up with, as she had nothing else. The blonde doctor's eyes narrowed in thought, before a tiresome sigh was exhaled.

"Just as I thought. Your memory core has been affected, meaning you can't recall _any_ of your memories. All you rely on right now, is your body's instincts and muscle memory." 013 glanced at the female, her mouth drawn in a thin line.

"Well that sucks."

Nothing else was uttered for a few minutes, but then the doctor _'ahaa'd'_ , and 013 looked at her as if she had finally gone crazy.

"Uh… Doc, was that a good _'aha'_ , or a bad _'aha'_?" The doctor just shook her head at 013, a glimmer inside her eyes.

"You will get to visit Jefferson, perhaps that will help with the loss of memory." 013's lips quickly curved upwards at hearing the splendid idea.

"Oooh, do I get to go now? Please? _Pretty_ please? Please with a cherry on top?" 013 pleaded with the doctor, who once again sparked another zing of pain as she prodded at her eyelid, and 013 mumbled another curse.

" _Ouch_ , shit hurts…'

"No, you will visit him tomorrow. What you need right now is rest. And what have I told you? _Language_ , 013!" The blonde reprimanded, her finger waggling in front of 013's functioning eye.

"Old habits dies hard, Doc."

"Then try harder to refrain from cursing when at the Infirmary."

"No promises." 013 said in a sing-song voice, and the doctor just shook her head once again. Dealing with 013 was bound to be infuriating, and perhaps a little impossible at times. She didn't know how many head shakes she had done already, but she knew it was probably one too many.

"You injuries are now taken care of. Try to get as much rest as you can, and hopefully you will feel better tomorrow. I'll dim the lights on my way out." And with that, the doctor picked up her tablet again, and walked towards the door. She dimmed the lights before walking out, just like she said, and the door then quietly shut after her departure.

013 felt her eyelids droop as soon as the light dimmed down, and before she knew it, she was out like a light. (Pun intended haha.)

The following morning, 013 woke from her slumber feeling well-rested, however as soon as she shifted, pain exploded throughout her body, and she had to muffle a scream. The meds had been flushed out her system, and so she was left with nothing to dampen the pain. It felt like someone had gone loose with a baseball bat on her body, it hurt so much. The stickling pain at her side was the most prominent one, which made sense, because she did after all have two broken ribs.

"How the fuck that happened, I still have no clue… If I was in a sparring ring, why did they fight as if life depended on it?" 013 muttered to herself. She wasn't all too bothered that she didn't remember much, even though most people would probably panic.

It wasn't like she was really missing out on anything, because she didn't _remember jackshit_! What she didn't know, she couldn't be bothered by, right?

The Doc had said her memories were dormant, and that it would take time for them to resurface. How long, that depended on how fast her brain repaired itself, as it was currently dealing with a minor concussion, on top of apparent memory loss.

She didn't know that her life was really just a mess - that she was actually facing dire consequences, nor that she was currently in a dispute with Spartans.

Hell, she didn't even know that she was _friends_ with them to begin with.

So all in all, it was almost better for her to suffer from memory loss, as it gave her breathing room.

Obviously it wasn't the best method in the book, but it was the one she ended up with, unbeknownst to her.

Just then, the blonde doctor came through the door, a smile on her lips.

"Jefferson is awake too, and I'm assuming you're dying to see him?" She asked as she set the pad down on a nearby table, her gaze directed towards 013.

"What I'm _dying_ for right now, is pain relief meds. Do you have any with you, Doc?" 013 mumbled, her face twisting into that of pain as she grasped her left side. The doctor was quick to walk over to a cabinet and grab a bottle of said pain relief. A glass of water and two pills were handed to her, and 013 gulped them both down.

"Thanks. So how do you plan on me getting there? Do I get to walk or must I take an embarrassing wheelchair?"

"That depends on if you feel okay enough with walking. I recommend using a crutch to assist you though."

"A crutch will be fine, as long as I don't have to use a wheelchair." 013 said, her voice adamantly stating that the day she ends up in a wheelchair, is the day she would lie six feet under.

Not at all that the statement was rather contradicting, but it did get the message through, and that was what mattered.

The blonde doctor nodded, before walking into the intersecting room. She returned shortly after, carrying a crutch. She held onto it while 013 slowly pulled herself up from her lying position on the bed. The process was slow, and a little excruciating, but there was little she could do about it. The meds had just kicked in, and they were slowly but surely soothing the pain flowing through her system.

Just as she jumped down from the bedside, as she was too short to reach, her knees almost buckled, and she quickly grabbed a hold of the bedside to regain balance. The Doc assisted her with righting herself to regain her balance. 013 then glanced at her after having stabilized her footing.

"For how long have I been here, exactly?"

"Three days." Came the answer.

"I've been unconscious for _two_ days? No wonder I felt so well-rested… And weak, apparently." 013 muttered, her eyes fluttering to watch her holding herself against the bed as to not fall down in a heap onto the floor.

She grabbed the crutch that the Doc offered her and leaned heavily onto it before taking a cautious step forward. It felt better now that she was moving her body again, the blood flow regulating and finding its way to her legs to help her stand better. 013 limped with the help of the crutch over towards the direction of her doctor, who was currently standing at the intersecting archway.

"How long is the trip to this Jefferson guy?"

"About three rooms over, so not too far. Had I thought it was too far, I wouldn't have suggested for you to walk there." The blonde female said, and 013 nodded in consent.

They slowly made their trip across the rooms, the habitants glancing curiously at her. She smiled and waved at them as she passed by. Most times they waved back, but there was one grumpy marine that just kept glaring at her.

' _Geesh, sorry for disrupting your staring contest with the wall…'_ She mumbled to herself as she passed him by.

Finally they stood at the archway that would lead into Jefferson's room, and 013 halted momentarily. She would be lying if she said she didn't feel nervous, despite not knowing who Jefferson was. The Doc had said she knew him pretty well… Inwardly she thought that she would only feel terrible over the fact that he would recognize her, but she wouldn't recognize him.

It was an extremely unfortunate predicament that she was in.

"Are you sure this is going to be fine, Doc? What if my memories don't come back?" The doctor looked at her with a sad smile on her lips.

"They might not come at first, but perhaps if you keep spending time with him, it will speed up the memory recollection."

013 only nodded slowly before taking a deep breath. She then proceeded with limping into the room, the crutch making scratching noises against the floor as she dragged it with her. 013's grey orbs were drawn to the individual lying in the bed after her eyes swept over the interior of the small room. There was a white blanket covering his whole body up to his torso, and she idly wondered why. He seemed locked in a very interesting conversation with the doctor sitting next to him too, and she didn't want to interrupt them just yet. She couldn't help but also notice how he remained unmoving, his body not moving even once even though he was talking rather animatedly.

There was then a cough from the blonde doctor next to her, and the conversation immediately stopped. 013 stood still with a baited breath as Jefferson shifted his eyes over to her. His facial futures lit up and a huge smile spread on his face.

"Tutes! Hey! Long time no see!" 013 had to chuckle at that, remembering how she said the same thing to Doc, who was standing right next to her. She heard a chuckle come from that direction, and she glanced at the female.

"You two are definitely alike." She said, a smile now present on her lips. The doctor then ushered her to answer him, her smile reassuring her that it all was okay.

013 scratched the back of her neck nervously, before an uncertain smile curved the corners of her lips.

"Hey there, buddy." She replied, her grey eyes sweeping over his face to gauge his reaction. He didn't seem to suspect about her apparent memory loss yet, which meant she would have to _tell_ him.

' _This is gonna suck, I can just feel it.'_

"So Tutes, what happened to you? Why are you here? You look like someone went loose with a baseball bat on you." Jeff remarked, his eyes taking in the extent of her injuries. He eyed her swollen eye a little longer than the crutch and her wrapped side. Most likely because it was the one injury that stood out the most. 013 laughed nervously, before shifting the crutch to her other hand.

"Well… That's what I thought first too, that someone took a baseball bat and decided to wreak havoc. Nah but in more serious terms, I got into a fight… Which kinda landed me in here." She said, smartly avoiding mentioning that she didn't even _remember_ the events that led up to her being here. Jeff just let out a guffaw, before wincing slightly, and then shaking his head.

"Of course you'd end up in trouble while I was gone. I guessed I hoped too much that you would behave." Jeff chuckled again. There was a moment of silence, and 013 deemed that now was the moment she would have to tell him.

"Uhm… Jeff…" 013 started rather uncertainly. She knew she had to tell him about her memory loss now, as it would do not good to drag it all out. She had already called his attention, so there was no backing out either. She swallowed, and shuffled over to the chair that was previously occupied by the other doctor. The doctor had come to stand next to her own Doc, and 013 glanced at them wearily. They both only nodded reassuringly, and 013 took a deep breath.

"Yeah, what's up?" Jeff inquired, his gaze so full of innocence and naivety... The smile was still present on his face, however it had receded to just a small curve of the tips of his lips.

The expression he had just caused another sting of pain to erupt in her chest, just because of what she was about to say...

"There's something I need to tell you…" 013 shifted her gaze to the floor, as she fiddled with her hands. She then closed her eye for a few seconds before looking up and meeting Jeff's gaze head on.

"I suffer from memory loss, Jeff."

There was only silence after she had spoken. She saw how Jeff's face fell, and his brow scrunching up in confusion. His jaw was working, his mouth trying to form words but ending up failing every time. 013 swallowed the lump growing in her throat. She was waiting for him to say something, _anything,_ and for every passing second, she felt all the more uncomfortable.

But then finally, Jeff spoke.

"But… You're acting just like you usually do. You're joking around, you're sarcastic… You called me _Jeff_ … This has to be a joke, right? You're pulling my leg, Tutes?" The hopeful expression on his face had 013 breaking a little inside, the dams she had built up cracking. She could feel liquid building up in her eye upon seeing the vulnerable state of him. She didn't know what to do, how to handle it all.

His eyes desperately searched hers, the royal blue orbs shifting between her good eye and her eye patch (he had the tendency to always shift his eyes from one iris to the other, so much that i's become a habit, and despite that she has eye patch, he still does it), trying to find any trace that she was indeed pulling his leg.

But she wasn't.

What she was stating was the actual truth.

She was suffering from memory loss.

She didn't remember who he was, not even his name. Had she not been told by Doc that she usually called him Jeff, she would have said Jefferson instead of Jeff.

 _She didn't remember their friendship._

A stray tear fell from her one functioning eye, and she had to repress a sob. She shook her head back and forth before settling to look at him again.

"I'm s-serious, Jeff, I don't r-remember a-anything…" Her voice cracked when she spoke. Jeff was sitting in silence, but upon further scrutiny, 013 could see the glassiness of his eyes, and she knew he was desperately fighting to digest the information.

"You don't remember _anything?_ Not even… Not even _me_?" His voice was so weak, that 013 had to heave a deep breath to get enough oxygen through her system. She felt like everything was falling apart, she felt like she was destroying his life, because she was sitting here and telling him that she doesn't remember _batshit_. And from gauging his reaction, she figured that they had been very close friends, if not _best_ friends.

"T-the Doc said that in a f-few days I might be able to remember a few things, b-but she also said it could take weeks… E-even _months_." The brunt of all emotions had now passed, and she instead felt herself numbing, as if her cortex was shutting down the emotions department within her brain, if only to help her out.

Jeff sat in silence for a few moments before a wavering breath escaped from his lips. He closed his eyes, and swallowed hard.

"So you're saying… You might not remember me, or anything in general, until a few days has passed? How big is the risk of you ne-… of you never remembering?" Jeff had a hard time getting that last part out, but he managed, and 013 almost broke down again upon hearing the despair in his voice.

" _I don't know…"_ She brokenly whispered.

 **Time skip –**

She had returned about an hour later to her room, and right now she was laying in her silence, the Doc having gone away on errands.

She reminisced back to her conversation with Jeff, which had been nothing short of _heart wrenchingly painful_.

Jeff had openly _sobbed_ when finally realizing that his supposedly best friend didn't remember him, and 013 had tried to comfort him as best she could. But in the end it didn't really matter. No matter how you cushioned the news, the fact that she might not regain her memories was a very realistic possibility. The moments she shared with Jeff before the memory loss were moments only he could currently recall, and it ended up with him telling her of their best moments, along with their worst, so she could regain those memories. Not that it would be the real deal, but at least she would know how she acted prior the memory loss.

She remembered that he told her of one prank where he stole her clothes from her locker when she was busy. She had apparently been forced to walk commando trough the ship to find him and harass him for his not-so-funny prank. He said that if looks could kill, those she passed in the corridors would've been lying dead on the floor.

She had to chuckle at that, because it sounded like something she would do, if she imagined that she would have to do it all over again.

013 let out a heavy sigh. She dearly wished she would get her memories back, because it sounded like she had a very good life, one packed with thrilling adventure and action.

' _Whoever did this me will have hell to pay for taking my life away from me.'_ 013 thought to herself. No one knew who the responsible ones were, they only had suspicions, but not even then was she allowed to know.

"It may affect your trauma and worsen your state." They said.

' _If anything, it might actually trigger my memory recollection because of their direct affiliation, but noooo, it's still too risky. Wimpy asses.'_

She shuffled on her bed to find a more comfortable position. She was feeling tired from her interaction with Jeff, as she was bombarded with memories that she just couldn't remember herself.

She closed her eyes, deciding to take a nap to refuel her energy.

Her _'nap'_ turned out to be five hours long, because when she woke up, the digital clock built into the wall said 10:46 PM.

"Well shit, that was one hell of a nap." She said to herself, and a wistful smile spread across her face. She had actually had a rather pleasant sleep, along with a pleasant dream. She dreamt of a man with brown ruffled hair and huge-ass muscles embracing her. Since he was so tall, over 6 feet tall, he had to lift her up. He had swung her around, and they both had laughed heartily. They even had matching smiles when they looked at each other, as if they were each other's reflections.

If there was something she remembered in particular about the dream, it was the intense, sea blue eyes the man had had. They had been so captivating, and just so _beautiful._

His eyes were like someone had collected the sea and placed them within his orbs, the wild untamable ocean storming within his eyes. And they looked to be so honest, so full of _passion_ that she felt overwhelmed when their gazes had connected.

' _I wonder if he really exists… Maybe I have a boyfriend… Or a husband? I have to ask Doc.'_

She returned to her sleep 20 minutes later, as there was nothing better to do, and she still felt tired. Most likely her body was using up all the energy to mend itself back together. Not to mention, her brain probably needed the energy the most to get her cells to full functionality. The mind healed a lot slower than physical wounds, as it has to do the DNA of the human body, the _culmination_ of what made her, _her._

Five days passed by, where she spent a few hours of every day in Jeff's room, just talking and listening and laughing and crying. There was still no change when it came to her memories, and she knew it was taking a toll on Jeff. With every story he told her, he had that hopeful gleam in his eyes that the story he was telling next might be the one to reawaken her broken mind.

On the sixth day, the Doc said she was free to return to her room, which ultimately meant she was allowed to wander the corridors of the _Infinity._

She was actually feeling a little afraid of doing so, as she didn't remember anyone. All she knew was that she was a good marine, as her skills laid in her muscle memory, and not her memories.

' _Now that I'm free, where the hell do I go?'_

Just then, her stomach churned.

' _Guess I have my answer.'_

How she was going to find the mess hall however, was something she would have to try figure out. Maybe the ship had signs that described what was on what floor. Doc had said the _Infinity_ was a pretty huge ship, the biggest one there is, and that kind of unnerved her as well.

She was serving on the biggest ship of the UNSC, yet she didn't know how, why or what she was aboard the ship. Was she a Commander? A Chief Petty Officer? Or was she just a brawn, a military brat that was part of the many other marines?

013 slowly stepped out of the Infirmary, the _only_ place she deemed as her safe haven at the moment.

' _I have to get going sometime.'_

And with that, she stepped out into the hall, looking both ways before opting to go right. It _felt right_ to go in that direction, and she trusted her gut instinct. It was really all she had anyway, according to both herself and Doc, as she couldn't remember these hallways despite having walked in them before.

She soon stumbled upon an elevator, which was the best thing she had seen as of yet. The corridors that she had trekked through were eerily empty, and 013 couldn't help but wonder why they were so vacant.

Weren't there supposed to be a hell of a lot of people onboard the biggest ship of the UNSC?

Or had everyone just conveniently taken a coffee break at the exact same time?

013 shrugged, dropping the thought. She glanced into the elevator, reading the labels that were etched onto the wall. Her eyes skimmed across the words, and almost at the very end did she find the two words she was looking for.

 _Mess Hall._

She entered the elevator and pressed on the button that would lead to the mess hall. The ride was quiet, and she thrummed her fingers against her arm that were crossed in front of her. A _ting_ signified that she had now arrived at the right floor, and she cautiously waited for the doors to open.

As soon as they did, she was met with a few people standing in the corridor that led to a corner further ahead. She figured that behind that corner, the entrance to the mess would be there and so she slowly approached the junction. The people in the corridor glanced at her, while some even openly stared. She saw them shift their eyes to her patched eye before shifting to meet the other -the _functional_ one.

And right now, that one single grey orb was quickly filling up with exasperation along with irritation. Her eyebrow arched as she stared back at them, quietly asking them what their problem was.

"What?" She voiced out loud, her eye pointedly scrutinizing them with a judgmental edge.

The people almost immediately returned to their conversations, slightly embarrassed at having her bark at them for their _very_ rude staring.

"What's their deal…" She muttered to herself as she hurried through the corridor, wanting to escape from them _ASAP_.

Not that it really mattered, because if there were people out here, it was guaranteed that there would be even more people in the mess hall.

She let out a quiet sigh before turning at the junction. There were two massive double doors there, with windows built into the surface. Through the windows, she could spot a few tables with people surrounding them.

' _Well, time to greet the crowd.'_

She steeled herself as she approached the doors. Her stomach was nervously fluttering, churning, and her nerves tingled with anticipation. She felt the adrenalin course through her at rapid speed as the doors neared.

Finally, she reached the doors and pushed them open, mainly using her right hand as her left side couldn't handle too much pressure because she still had two broken ribs.

They were healing nicely according to Doc, and so she didn't want to take any unnecessary risks that would hinder their healing, lest she would end up at the Infirmary again. And it wasn't exactly on her to-do list, seeing that she had a few more urgent matters to solve, mainly her _memory loss._

As the doors slowly swung open, the people within looked over to see who had entered. The chatter that reverberated throughout the room immediately died down, and she was suddenly met with several pairs of eyes staring at her. The lump that was forming in her throat made it much more difficult for her to breathe - she hadn't anticipated that _everyone_ would look at her as she entered, but to the contrary of her beliefs, she turned out to be very much at fault.

Her one good eye swept across the room, trying to discern any recognizable futures. She almost thought that it would bear fruitless results - that she would, just like everything else, not recognize or remember anything, but then that all changed.

The one she ended up staring at was a man that looked so eerily like the one from her dreams that she had to draw after her breath – it was a _completely_ _unexpected sight._

' _I never asked Doc if I had a boyfriend or not.'_

Her eyes widened upon settling on him. He was the only thing within the whole room that she felt herself _recognize,_ even if most of it stemmed from her dream.

' _Or maybe it was a memory?'_

She saw how his stormy blue eyes filled up with surprise, before they then turned _dark_ , almost ominously so. She herself could only express open confusion, and her brows formed a cone that spoke of said confusion. She looked much like a deer caught in the headlights.

Mainly because she didn't understand why he seemed to almost be _glaring_ at her, his gaze critically scrutinizing her. What's up with that? In her opinion, it was pretty uncalled for.

Deciding then that perhaps approaching him wouldn't be in her best interest, or _his_ for that matter, she let her gaze drop to the floor, before shifting it over to the serving area.

She had come here to get some food in her system, and that was what she was going to do, despite the awkward tension that was filling up the atmosphere.

Her stomach growled in consent.

* * *

 **Notes:**

Alright, there are some things I want to address in this chapter (besides the plot twist _, badum-tzz_. Bet you guys weren't expecting that one). Anyhow, I want to explain what exactly is going on in _Reclaiming His Humanity_. 013 is notoriously known for being a sarcastic, sassy girl with a lot of confidence, however despite all that, she, just like any other human, has her insecurities. One of her greatest flaws is that she hates people doubting her, and poking fun at the fact that she is a hybrid, as the experiment is a really bad memory for her. I mean, she was stamped as a failure without understanding why. 'Course it feels like a punch in the gut when people make fun of that.

In the last chapter, she was provoked into fighting the ODSTs two on one, and that's mainly because she had to address the fact that they weren't going to drop their plans of revenge. Having to constantly watch her back unnecessarily much, she decided that, what the hell, why not let them take out their testosterone-filled problems on her. Unfortunately, she hadn't predicted that they would let vengeance get in the way of the soldier's code of conduct. Of course, she did have her doubts about them, however she never expected them to break the holy and unspoken rule that applies in sparring matches (Which is to intentionally hurt the opponent by foul and despicable ways). Basically, she thought they would have enough honor to know and respect that rule.

They didn't.

As for the memory loss, it's actually based on real experience. A friend of mine has personally experienced memory loss and she described it in this way; you only recognize things, but don't remember them. You get the odd sort of feeling that you know, but at the same time, you _don't_ know.

That's what she has told me, and I understand what she means by that. It's kind of like deja vú, really. Deja vú means that you experience a phantom event, as your mind thinks you've already done it, but you haven't. The difference between deja vú and memory loss, is that you can only feel a certain familiarity, however you don't have a memory to connect _that_ familiarity to, because obviously, it's temporarily (or permanently, that depends on the severity of the damage dealt) gone.

I hope that cleared a few things up!

 _P.S. Please do tell me what you thought of the sneaky plot-twist! Good/bad? Shitty af or DAAAAMN, DIS AUTHOR HAS SOME BALLS TO PLAY WITH MY MIND LIKE THIS. ? Which one is it?_


	12. Chapter 11 - Triggering Events

Huzzah, chapter eleveeeeen! Whose with me, say ay! Anyway, I got some stuff to tell you before you go on reading the chapter. First, I'm going to fangirl squeal, because _holy shit,_ this story has reached a total of **102** followers! I'm actually surprised, because I never knew this story would be so acknowledged by you people that are on this site. I thought it would just be one of those few with a measly 10 followers or something. But no, add 92 and you got the _real_ amount of followers. I'm smiling like a creep right now, trust me on this. I'm just so awestruck, let me be.

 **ANNOUNCEMENT:**

And I never announced this beforehand, but the 100th follower actually got a special gift from me, just as the 10th reviewer, counting from this chapter onwards, will receive a gift. That doesn't meant you can duplicate your review and post reviews JUST to come to the tenth spot. No, the reviews have to legitimate, and not necessarily for this chapter only - meaning that if this chapter doesn't reach ten reviews, you'll always have a shot at the next chapter I post.

And speaking of chapters, college is starting up for me next week, so chapters might not be published as often. Or well, college is a little different in Sweden compared to the US or Australia, or any other country, so they might not be the exact same.

Anyway, the gift the follower received, xXRead-a-holic, was the allowance to add a character and a specific event that introduces this character into the story-line. Why I've decided to do this, is simply because I want you readers to know that you all have a chance to affect this story a little with your own ideas, as you're the ones that have helped me and this story to get to where it is today!

And with that, onto the reviewers!

 **Spartan091 -** I love seeing you review, you've stuck with me through quite a few chapters, thank you! I hope you'll continue to, as your name always puts a smile on my face. And I bet you that you'll look forward to the development of the story, and as for the Spartans, they shall soon come back!

 **Haruna Shikaio -** You're also one of those that have stuck with me through quite a few chapters, so thank you for that as well! Your opinions always got me laughing quietly to myself, honestly. As for me never disappointing -does victory dance- Hallelujah! Master Chief is a mystery, you never know what he might do or not do, that is for you all to wait and see~. And you're right, 013 stands up for herself, as we females don't always need men to help us out. It's part of her character, and it'll stay that way. I'm not even sure when Halo 6 is going to come out, it might be a year from now, or even three, only 343 Industries know. I totally dig the caps, caps are necessary when you're excited - how else are you going to show it, you know? So don't cut off the caps or the exclamation marks, they're just fine as they are!

 **Guest 1 -** Well, that is something that's going to be discovered later on in the chapters, as it's up to the Spartans to try figure out what makes her and her nametag so special. What it does do, that you all know from the posted chapters, is that they're a mix between Spartan-and ODST augmentations. But seeing that she was part of an experiment... Well, you experiment, simple as that. Who knows if there were side effects (I know, but I won't tell you guys, yet. _**Mwhahahah**_ ).

 **Guest 2 -** What's bad about her past is that she was used without knowing it. She was an experiment, while she just thought that she was a soldier who got special treatment. She didn't know what the experiment had in store for her, and well, a little spoiler, she doesn't remember it all either. And that's not because of the memory loss she's suffering at the moment. She was at a boot camp before the experiment, so she was training to be an ODST, however she never got that far. During her 5 years at ONI though, she got her fair share of experience, this time with augmentations in the picture. I hope that clarified, as I can't spoil too much!

As for the hacking of ONI, well, she has great computer skills, however ONI never figured she would hack into the files, so they weren't so guarded. They were only stored on the archives that were on the base, so she didn't have to go through wiping the entire ONI system - which she wouldn't be able to do, despite great computer skills. But since they were stored only on the base's archives, there wasn't too much security she had to go through, which made it possible for her to delete them. Thank you for your valuable input, and for loving the story! Makes me feel all giddy~.

As per usual, huge thank you to those that have reviewed, followed and favved, you guys are awesome!

 _And wow, how could I, the disclaimer!_

 **Disclaimer:** _Pff, still not the owner of Halo, that'd be crude (But fantastic all the same)._

 _ **Oh, and a bit of a warning for those that might be below the appropriate age... There is sex implied in this chapter, just a warning!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 11 –** _ **Triggering Events**_

013 was met with quite a few shortcomings that day. She didn't know the name of the food she had eaten, and before she consumed it, she had poked at it with her utensils – just _trying_ to discern what exactly it was.

It hadn't helped that the marines sitting at the surrounding nearby tables had thrown questioning glances her way while she ate. She knew they probably thought of her as some kind of IQ-liberated dimwit because she was critically analyzing her food, poking at it before finally giving in to taste it - which only led to her making a grimace that spoke of how distasteful the so called _food_ tasted.

' _What the hell is this crap?'_ She muttered under her breath as she forcefully swallowed the mouthful of food.

' _It actually tastes like literal crap.'_

And with three more bites, she concluded that it would have to do, because she couldn't force another bite down her throat. Not unless she wanted to end up spewing her guts up onto the table, which would definitely provide an entertaining view for the other people in the mess hall.

' _Yeah, no. I don't do charity entertainment shows.'_

Another shortcoming of hers that day, was the fact that she couldn't find the bathroom when she really needed it.

She had wandered the halls in an attempt, a very _sad_ attempt, to find where exactly the restrooms of the ship were, but just like Doc had said, it was a _damn_ _huge_ ship.

' _A damn huge ship that doesn't have any restrooms apparently. Where the hell are they?'_

She complained silently within her mind as her bladder reminded her once again of the building necessity of having to relieve itself.

' _Fuck, I'm going to have to ask a stranger. That's going to be awkward.'_

013 turned another corner, searching for someone who could provide her with directions.

It took another good three minutes before she actually found that someone, and she quickly approached him.

"Hey, excuse me!" She shouted as she jogged up to him, grasping his shoulder to halt him in his movement.

The guy stopped and turned around, his neutral facial expression quickly morphing into that of shock and surprise.

However, that facial expression quickly turned into one of disbelief, and even of _fear_.

013 just stared at him in question, wondering why he suddenly looked _so afraid_.

"Uh, sir… I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of the restroom?" She asked, her voice sounding a little uncertain because, _hello_ , the dude looked ready to piss his pants right on the spot.

She saw his mouth work, trying to voice a reply, but no sounds came out.

"Do you suffer from speech impediment? You don't have to say anything, pointing with your finger works too, I just _really_ need to find the restroom." 013 urged once again, no longer caring if she perhaps sounded a little too edgy or rude this time.

The marine before her seemed to come out of his stupor, as he blinked and nervously swallowed. He then pointed down the hall in the direction he had been heading, before gesturing with his finger to take the next left after turning the corner. 013 smiled an appreciative smile, thanking him, before she was off, no more than _running_ through the corridor to get to the restroom.

Her bladder wasn't going to hold itself much longer, which forced her to take severe actions, meaning that she simply had to break the 'no running in the corridors unless it's an emergency' rule. Although, she _could_ argue that she was in fact in an emergency… A _different_ sort of emergency than what the rule implied, but nonetheless, it was still an emergency, and the rule didn't exactly explain the finer details.

So it was all a matter of perspective on whether or not she was breaking thy holy rule or not. Either way, she did know it wasn't the best idea.

' _Running is not recommended when you don't know where the hell you are, but I really don't give two shits right now, because I really need to pee.'_ She justified silently to herself.

Her feet thudded against the flooring, and quickly she turned to the first left. Just like the guy had directed, the restrooms was there.

What she didn't know though, because of her memory impairment, was that the guy she had stumbled upon in the hallway, had participated in the events that led up to her tragic situation. She had _no_ idea that he was the one that helped his companions who caused her to lose her memory.

No. Idea. At. All.

And he himself didn't understand one bit why she hadn't recognized him. She pretended like he was no one special, even though she fought him over a little more than a week ago… Wasn't she supposed to be super pissed off? Wasn't she supposed to be gutting him right about now for playing dirty?

But he had to admit, he didn't know it that it would become so severe that she would end up at the Infirmary…

But again, why didn't she recognize him?

He had to find out why.

So instead of continuing on his previous path, he turned and stalked down the hallway with the Infirmary as his final destination. (Aaah, _aaaah_ , horror movie reference! –pokes elbow at you-)

013 almost wanted to dance happily when she finally got to relieve herself, it was so amazing! She closed her eyes in bliss, a content smile settling on her lips.

" _I feel so free…_ " She murmured, and tapped her feet against the tiled floor in a steady beat.

Her bathroom break was probably longer than the average break, but she didn't care, it wasn't like she was stressing to get somewhere beforehand.

The third shortcoming of that same day, came when she had to find her room. The Doc had been _so kind_ in actually _forgetting_ to tell her where exactly her room was after having dismissing her.

' _Isn't she a doctor? She out of everyone should think of these things, I have memory loss for heaven's sake, so it's obvious that I can't be the one to remember!'_ She huffed to herself as she stalked through the many identical corridors, her irritation growing every time she ended up in a dead end or somewhere else entirely that wasn't the dorms.

' _Fuck this, man. Do I seriously have to ask another stranger?'_

013 let out a shriek when ending up at another dead end, the corridor ending with a nice view of space, a view she couldn't particularly appreciate at the moment, as all she wanted to do was find her room and go to sleep, and also to forget how much this day just absolutely _sucked_.

She turned on her heel and returned to where she was before she turned in to the corridor, while mentally checking off that _no_ , that was not the right corridor.

Now there were just about two more corridors that she hadn't tried yet, not to mention probably three or four floors. Hopefully she was at least on the right floor.

' _I'm going to die in these corridors, because they're like a fucking labyrinth.'_

She backtracked to where she first was, giving a sigh of defeat. She was back to square one, but at least this time she knew what corridors _not_ to take.

' _That leaves me with one.'_

And so she walked down that corridor. It was the one she had avoided, simply because it felt so… eerie, and dangerous.

' _I wonder why that is…'_ She idly thought, her eye looking ahead, slowly scanning the walls.

She clutched at the jumper she wore. It was navy blue, her favourite colour, which automatically made it her favourite sweater, too. Doc had fetched her the jumper so she had something _else_ to wear besides the gown that she wore for several days when stuck in the Infirmary.

It was such an unpleasant feeling, wearing it. The breeze wafted in places she didn't like being wafted out in the open like that, and so she was _ecstatic_ when Doc brought her the jumper – the blonde glass-wearing woman actually made her day that morning, by bringing her it, along with clean underwear and a pair of standard-issued black fatigues.

She felt right at home, wearing the clothes.

It brightened her mood too, the awful morning and frantic restroom searching two downsides of her day.

That is, if she didn't count the fact that she was having a pretty huge problem finding her dorm at the moment.

If anything, the search for her dorm was probably the worst of all the three shortcomings.

As she still hadn't found the room yet.

' _Ugh.'_

013 stalked down the last corridor, ignoring the chills running up her spine. It was like the corridor was a type of foreboding… Nothing felt right.

She turned the corner, and upon turning it, a sense of familiarity came over her.

' _Maybe this was the right corridor after all… but it just feels so, haunting.'_

Not that anything with the corridor looked wrong, in fact, it looked almost identical to the ones she had been in previously - which made the eerily creepy feelings even more confusing. It's not like it's a scene taken from a slasher movies with some murderer or villain hiding behind a mask with a knife in their hand, about to chase her through the corridor. That, if anything, would be absurd, not to mention completely unrealistic.

' _Those movies have always been on the pathetic side of the spectrum. Then again, they're called slasher movies for a reason…'_ 013 thought.

By irony, she of course managed to regain her memories about the most trivial of things, like how to hold a pen and write, how to shave, what movies she had seen, what books she had read.

But nothing that really mattered.

Nothing about the mystery man she had seen in the mess hall, nothing about Jefferson- _Jeff._

And definitely nothing about her shitty predicament that she didn't even know that she _should_ remember.

Life apparently liked making her life a living hell, by keeping her most important memories locked away behind thick bars and chains.

013 turned at a junction, walking slightly further, before coming to a stop, a very familiar door standing before her.

There were a few stickers plastered onto the silvery door, one with the piece sign, another with the emblem warning for toxicity, and one huge sticker plastered just under the plaque of her name.

 **KEEP CALM AND SLOWLY BACK AWAY FROM THIS DORM, YOU'RE NOT WELCOME**

' _How the hell did I manage to get that one? Did I special-order it?_ ' 013 let out laughter upon reading the text, as it was just too hilarious.

It sounded like her alright, which meant she had definitely reached her dorm.

She quickly pulled out the keycard that Doc had given her before her departure from the Infirmary, and swept in through the mechanical little box on the side.

A beep sounded, which probably was a positive thing, because the door soon slid open, revealing the content of her room.

Which was quite… well, _normal_ actually.

She didn't know what she had been expecting, but she had expected _something._

' _Huh, so my room is kinda normal and average-y. I got a desk, a bed, a bedside table, another table with four chairs… A bookcase? I'm actually allowed to have a small bookcase in here? That's epic shit. Thanks who-ever agreed to let me have my bookcase.'_

013 observed all that within the frame of a couple seconds. A lopsided smile curved her lips upwards, as she deemed her dorm to be to her liking.

It should be, it was her dorm after all, even before the accident.

It wasn't like she had relocated to some other ship, geesh.

Maybe that was what she had half expected? A transfer, as she didn't remember batshit about her position on the _Infinity._

013 laid herself on her bed, in a spread-eagle position. She couldn't deny that it felt amazing to be in her own bed again, the mattress was _heaven,_ and didn't compare to the brick-like mattress that the Infirmary provided her with.

Okay, it was actually the opposite, the mattress at the Infirmary was _a lot_ more softer, but since her soldier-body is so used to the hard surface of a _not-so-soft_ mattress, a brick mattress felt much more like home that some plushy one.

She tipped to the side before curling herself into a foster-like position, a content smile on her face as she closed her eyes and just laid there, embracing the peace she felt at the moment.

She momentarily forgot that she had memory-loss… She momentarily forgot about the dream-or memory, of the blue-eyed man, and she momentarily forgot about the shitty day she had had.

Instead, she just focused on her breathing, focused on _herself._

A flash before her eyes came then, bearing recognizable pictures in rapid succession.

The pictures were only flash shots, passing by before she managed to take in the whole content of each one, but nevertheless, she just _knew_ her mind had unlocked a memory, as the same sense of familiarity that she felt around objects she had interacted with previously overcame her.

 **Flashback –**

 _Her grin was huge, her two rows of teeth showcased for the whole world to see as she smiled broadly at the person sitting opposite her._

 _They were currently cleaning their guns, and 013 figured that she had most likely just said something sassy, because the person sitting in front of her just gave her the stink-eye._

 _It felt weird, being inside herself, but not knowing what was going to happen. It was as if she was literally a small entity looking out through someone else's eyes, even though those eyes were her own._

 _She felt the smile, and she felt her hands gripping the cold steel pieces of her disassembled gun._

 _But she herself wasn't smiling, no, she was only watching, and feeling everything happen. She herself couldn't control her own movements, despite being inside her own body._

' _This feels like something taken out of the Davinci Code, what the hell?' She thought to herself, her eyes wide with disbelief. She felt a little freaked out, but at the same time, she knew she shouldn't. It was he after all, and she was just seeing a memory._

 _If anything, she should be jumping up and down or do pirouettes of joy, simply because her mind decided to be lenient and bless her with remembering a memory._

 _The sound of laughter brought her out of her reverie. She felt vibrations run through her body, and she knew it was her who had laughed. Probably because she got the guy before her good, one of her sassy and sarcastic jokes burning him a little._

' _Want some water for that burn?' She chuckled quietly to herself… Within herself._

' _That thought just felt so fucked up, I'm laughing inside myself. I should probably join the nearest mental institute, no one would believe me if I told them about this... They'd most likely assume I've finally jumped onto the crazy train.'_

 _Her eyes, her own eyes, not her body's eyes, shifted over to the guy sitting opposite her. He looked… Familiar._

 _Very familiar._

' _Is that... Is that Jeff?'_

 _Her eyes widened with realization._

 _It was actually Jeff, but he looked lightly younger - less buff, less adult-like, and he had some kind of… innocent aura around him._

' _So this is a memory from a year back? Or maybe even more than one? How long have I been on this ship exactly?'_

 _And then she looked around, wanting to take in the rest of the vicinity. It was her room, but it looked slightly different._

 _There was no bookcase standing close to her door, and there was a different alarm clock standing on her bedside table._

 _013 let out a scoff, her eyebrow arching as the corner of her lip curled slightly._

' _So I've broken my alarm clock once. Nice.'_

 _Her eyes wandered a little more over the space, taking in the things that were standing in the same spot as they did at her current time._

 _Not too much had changed, it was just the small things._

 _In the peripheral, she caught sight of something brown and box-shaped._

 _Her eyes zeroed in on the unknown object._

 _It was a box, shaped much like a shoe-box, the width smaller than the length._

' _I wonder if that is still under my bed? I have to check later.'_

 _She let her curiosity for the box go, as she once again shifted to focus on the scene playing out before her._

 _Jeff was shaking his head, as he then flipped her the bird, and 013's laugher was renewed._

" _It kinda hurts you to say that size doesn't matter, doesn't it, Jeff?" 013 breathed, as she was slightly out of breath because she had just about finally stopped laughing, and was now trying to regain her breath. Jeff only threw her a glare before muttering a reply._

" _No it doesn't, what I'm implying is that the size of someone's gun doesn't matter, not about dick size, you asswipe."_

" _Ah c'mon, I'm just fucking with you, don't take it so hard." 013 kept going with her innuendos, and Jeff then declared that he gave up, stating that it was impossible to keep going with the discussion any longer._

" _That's not what your mom said last night."_

" _Ohmygod, Tutes, really? You just had to pull a 'your mom' joke out of your ass?" Jeff said, his facial expression deadpan as he stared incredulously at her. She only shrugged her shoulders, and threw him her classic lopsided smile._

" _Only you, Tutes… Only you." Her best friend muttered, before he shifted his eyes downwards, going back to cleaning his gun. The rag he pushed down the barrel of his gun came out almost clean this time, meaning the repetitive shove-rag-down-gun-and-then-pull-out until it comes out clean was finally almost over._

 _He totally ignored the sexual innuendo he had just done, as he had had enough of those to sustain him not one, but two lifetimes from 013._

 _013 did the same, although she only had to reassemble her gun, as she had cleaned hers already. They sat in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company. It was moments like these that she knew Jeff was truly her best friend._

 _She wasn't obligated to keep a conversation going all the time, or always having to have some kind of activity in mind so they didn't end up bored. Instead, she could just sit in her silence, doing her own thing, while Jeff did the same._

 _That is what signifies bestfriendship – if that's even a word. If it wasn't, then she would have to call Cambridge and ask them to add to the English dictionary, because how could bestfriendship not be a word?_

" _Hey Jeff?" She called to him without looking up from her fiddling. She heard a hum, and took that as a sign to continue._

" _You know I value you a lot, right?" She said, her voice clear of her usual sarcasm and sass. A moment of silence passed, and she glanced up to look at him._

 _Only to be met with his warm orbs looking right at her, and a genuine smile curving the tips of his lips upwards._

" _Of course, Tutes. The same goes for you. You're my best friend, and you'll always be, there's no changing that." He said, not a single waver or hesitation in his voice._

 _013 felt warmth envelop her heart, and she matched his smile with her own._

" _Even though if something bad happens to us, we'll still remain best friends?"_

" _Even though if something bad happens to us, we'll still remain best friends." Jeff echoed confidently, and he then reached out with his hand, his finger splayed apart. 013 happily entwined her fingers with his, and they closed their grip, tightly holding on._

 _Their bond would forever remain, no matter the amount of hardships that get thrown their way – they would always prevail._

 **Flashback end –**

013 blinked a couple times, her mind sorting out the memory flashback.

So she was actually best friends with Jeff.

Her eyes started to tear up, or well, _eye,_ as her other eye was still patched up.

She kept forgetting that, because she had gotten so used to just using her one eye.

Shortly after the memory flashback, another came in its wake, and then a few others.

It was like a chain reaction, as she started to remember bits and pieces of just _who_ Jeff was.

She still didn't regain everything, but what she had was enough.

It was enough for her to truly _feel_ that the friendship she had with Jeff was real, and honest.

' _Even though if something bad happens to us, we'll still remain best friends…'_ She echoed what the two of them had said to each other.

' _Truer words have never been spoken.'_ She added afterwards.

013 had to then wipe the wet liquid from under her eye away before it fell and splashed against the fabric of her pillow.

Along the few memories that she regained… She also _, surprisingly so,_ regained a very… _intimate one._

They hadn't always been just best friends.

' _I've slept with him. Once.'_

She didn't feel any remorse at all upon knowing that she had actually been intimate with Jeff. It hadn't felt wrong, not at all, but it hadn't felt _right_ either.

It felt great - _obviously_ , but it hadn't felt like it should have. And the two of them knew it.

The both of them had agreed that it was a one-time thing, and that they'd be better off as best friends instead.

They were simply too good of friends to be in a relationship with one another. It was kind of unfortunate, for at one time, she had actually really liked Jeff.

And she meant _like-_ liked, as in more than a friend.

He had too, but then again, when they tried to be more, the comfortable atmosphere they had, disappeared.

It was saddening, and both their hearts broke a little, but only a week after the agreement, they settled back into their typical banter.

She kept up with her sexual innuendos, even making fun of the one time they slept together.

And Jeff was okay with that.

In fact, he actually countered her jokes based off of that moment, rebuking comebacks that had her blushing.

And she rarely ever blushed.

It all was very ironic really, but it just showed how much of an amazing friendship they had. No matter the mistakes they do, or the mishaps, their friendship remained strong.

During her reminiscing, a smile had absently formed on her lips.

' _Guess that's going to be a fun conversation with Jeff the next time I see him.'_

She forgot to check under her bed for the brown box that she had seen in the first memory of Jeff, as it was forgotten during the memory relapse.

 **Time skip –**

013 had remembered the walk from her dorm to the elevator, and then knowing what floor the Infirmary was on.

Not that the sign on the elevator wall aided her in finding her way back to the medbay…

She was going to pay Jeff a visit today, as she missed it yesterday.

The doors of the Infirmary swooshed open, and 013 saw that the bed she had been lying in was now occupied by another marine. Upon meeting his gaze, she waved, and he waved back. 013 smiled before continuing on her way, following the path that she had walked many times when she had been stationed here.

How many days had she been there? A week?

It was something like that, perhaps just a little more.

Her feet thudded against the flooring, and as she passed the rooms, she waved at every single one of them.

The guy that had only glared at her when she offered a wave had left, and she felt relieved upon noticing that.

He had never been fun to walk pass, as his eyes more or less dug holes into her with the way he had been glaring.

' _Rude dickface, that was what he had been.'_

Soon she entered into the vicinity of Jeff's room, and her eyes widened upon the sight, and her mouth slightly dropped open.

Jeff was there, but there was something wrong with the usual picture.

Instead of two human arms, he had a cybernetic arm attached to him, the black material of it a glaring detail in her sight.

"Jeff…" she murmured, as she took in the fact that _he_ was the one marine that lost a limb. Doc had mentioned someone losing a limb, but she hadn't thought that it was Jeff who had lost it.

Royal blue orbs soon met the stormy grey of her own, and a surprised expression overtook his futures.

"Oh, hey Tutes, I wasn't expecting you to visit." He said, his expression remaining surprised.

013 only swept her gaze over him again, remaining just a little longer on his cybernetic arm.

"I forgot to visit you yesterday, my day was pretty hectic, so I figured that I could visit you today, to make up for the loss of yesterday…" Her voice faded, and she shifted her gaze back to his arm once again.

At the mention of loss…

Jeff seemed to know what her unspoken question was, as he cleared his throat before answering.

"Flying shrapnel. A twisted piece of metal came flying and I didn't spot it in time before it, uh, landed." He said, his voice sounding slightly awkward.

013 just remained in silence for a few more moments, before letting out a small cough and then sitting down on the edge of his bed.

It had been his right arm.

And he was right-handed.

"How are you going to… I mean, you're right-handed, do you have to relearn everything?" She asked quietly, her eyes lifting to slightly trace over the black surface of the cybernetic arm. The material was coiled into twisted muscle strands, with blue flat lights lining the construction in between the strands. There were hard surface plates, which were smooth to the touch, warped around the edge of his shoulder, and then at his elbow and his hand. The plates were there to most likely protect the inner mechanics of the cybernetic joints, as they were slightly more advanced in their machinery than the bigger muscles- or well, the cybernetic muscle strands.

Jeff contemplated his answer, before deciding to lift his arm, causing 013's hands to flinch away from the unexpected movement. His arm rose, and he held in front of him, before slowly bending it and then flexing the fingers.

"I have the basic movements down, so I can move it and flex my fingers, but as for the more advanced moves, I'm going to have to relearn them. But since they're connected to my nerves, it'll be slightly easier to learn it all since they'll recognize the movements. But since my… original muscles are gone, so is the muscle memory." There was a hint of sadness in his voice, and 013 inwardly cringed.

It seemed the two of them had their own share of hardships thrown at them at the same time.

She had her memory loss, and Jeff had his loss of an entire arm, along with its muscle memory.

"No matter the hardships, Jeff…" She started out, before taking a breath and then continuing.

"We always stick together, right?" The last part was only murmured quietly, as her voice was full of hesitation. She didn't know how he would react to her uttering words similar to those that the two of them had said to each other months and months ago.

A spark of recognition lit up in his blue orbs, and a shocked expression washed over his futures. His brows tilted upwards, and his eyes widened.

"You- you _remember?_ " He said, slightly astonished. 013 nodded in reply, a small smile on her lips.

"I don't remember _everything_ … but what I do remember is you arguing that size doesn't matter… Or does it?" She slyly remarked, her eyebrow arching as she smirked.

Jeff only stared at her, before moving his cybernetic arm to cover his eyes with his wrist.

"Of course, out of everything in that memory, you decide to remark on _that_. Tutes, it's like you never got memory loss, you're exactly the same." He groaned, but 013 spotted the smile that was forming on his lips. She let out a chuckle.

"I also remember… Our more, _intimate_ memories…" She said, her eyes intently watching Jeff for a reaction.

The only thing she got was a blush.

And it was probably one of the cutest sights she had ever seen.

Her best friend was _blushing!_

"Greeeaaat, anything else?" He deadpanned, his arm still remaining at his eyes, blocking his vision. He most likely didn't want to see the shit-eating grin 013 was currently wearing.

With good reason, too.

"No, just that. It was kind of… _Pleasurable_ , remembering that occurrence. Hopefully you'll regain that _dexterity_ of yours in your fingers… It'd be _unfortunate_ for such talent to go to waste." 013 commented, before she then guffawed, no longer able to contain her calm façade. Jeff just groaned, as her words definitely weren't shy.

"Fuck me…" He muttered, only to immediately regret his choice of words.

"Been there, done that." 013 quickly shot her remark at him, her smile widening.

"I set myself up for that one."

"Yeah, you did." She nodded condescendingly at him.

"You should know better than to give me such openings, from what I remember, I'm the King of sass and sarcasm."

"More like King of the junkyard…"

"Which would be you, since you have a recyclable arm, meaning you'll one day end up at said junkyard."

"That was lame, Tutes, c'mon. What's the matter, you running out of good comebacks?" Jeff mocked his friend, his eyebrow arched. His arm had returned to lying at his side.

"I had nothing better to say." 013 shrugged, before letting out a deep sigh.

"Back to more serious matters though… I remember enough to know that you're really a valuable friend, one that I'm never going to be rid of."

"Gee, thanks." Jeff commented sarcastically. He was hushed, and 013 then continued on.

"You're my best friend Jeff, and even though I don't know _everything_ , I want you to know that I'll be here for you. And also to tell you that don't you ever hesitate to ask if you need help, or someone to lean on when it gets a bit too rough. I know you're going to have a hard time with your…" 013 gestured at his cybernetic arm,

"-arm and all, so I just want to really make sure that you know got me here standing by you." She finished, her gaze locked with his. She saw the raw emotions swirling in his eyes, ranging from happiness to gratitude to remorse.

013 knew that the loss of his arm was going to take a toll on him sooner or later. Most likely he was still coming to terms that he has actually _lost_ his arm, despite it having been replaced with a cybernetic one.

And when that time comes, she was going to make damn sure that she was here for him. Especially now that she herself has come to realize the depth of the friendship she has with him.

Jeff only nodded, and 013 felt that now was the time to swoop in for a hug.

A hug she has looked forward to since she regained her memories of him.

Screw that it was sentimental to hug someone – a hug is a hug, and it says so much more than words ever do. A hug can comfort in ways words can't, not to mention that you're putting trust in the person you're hugging, as you're holding them as close as they could get.

She wasn't sure how long they hugged, but it didn't matter. All she felt was his hands gripping and pulling her close, as he sought the closeness of her. She laid down on his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat and raspy breaths. Her hands were gripping onto the material of his gown, and they laid there in silence, Jeff slowly recovering himself.

She felt herself nearly doze off, it was so comfortable lying there, but the sniffing of Jeff brought her slipping conscious back. She lifted her head slightly to glance at him, and she saw that his cheeks were wet.

"Oh Jeff _…, I'm so sorry_." She silently murmured, and she felt him grip her extra tight, before loosening his grip to the one he had before.

"Don't be, it's not your fault." He murmured back, and 013 returned to snuggling into his chest.

"I might fall asleep." She voiced quietly, her eyes slowly closing.

"That's fine, I don't mind." And with that, 013's conscious left her, leaving her in the embrace of her best friend.

* * *

 _Opinions? Especially about that juicy detail of Jeff and 013's past... Watcha think?_


	13. Chapter 12 - Questionable Transmissions

So I did manage to type up another chapter within a month, yay me!

Alright guys, so y'all remember that I said that the tenth reviewer will receive a gift from me? Yeah? Well, we've apparently reached that tenth reviewer, and I'm overflowing with joy at the moment. ALL your reviews were just so amazing, and yes, perhaps I did get a little tear-eyed. Anyhow, the winner of the gift goes to **Aggiefan15**! Congratulations to you, let's give you a round of applauds! -applauding from fans-. Alright, so. The gift I have planned for you, is that you'll get to imagine a scenario happening between 013 and Master Chief. Pretty neat, right? You get to give them an epic moment, or a shitty moment, or a lover's quarrel - it's _all_ up to you!

As for **xXRead-a-holic** , your scenario will happen in the next chapter, so don't think I've forgotten, I most certainly haven't! I have in fact, altered a part of the plot to give you character a role of importance, so that they don't feel like some useless side character. Those aren't too fun, in my opinion at least.

Okay, so I think that was all I had to address, for now. If I've forgotten anything, I'll just go in an edit it, in which I'll title it as an edit so you all don't get confused. Good. So I guess I'll proceed to the **10** reviewers that reviewed! -le gasp- I'm so giddy over that!

 **Halolz -** Thank you! For some it might come as a surprise that she's *cough* slept with him *cough*. I myself got a best friend much like Jeff, and we're very close, but I haven't slept with him. (For those who are curious, yes, I'm female).

 **Dragonblade 94 -** That's how I originally planned this story to be - that it'll still stick to the haloverse, but that I'd spin off of that and create my own universe _in_ the haloverse. I'm happy that you like it! And obviously, you and me are going to see this story come to an end, which isn't all to soon, so don't worry about that.

 **Silent Shooter -** I'm going to reply to both your reviews here! What she had, wasn't a dream, it was a memory relapse, meaning that she gained a couple memories back. So they weren't dreams, but actual memories of things she's done. As for what Tute stands for, it really is spelled TuT:e, which stands for **T** he **U** nlucky **T** hirt **e** en. Reason why she's called The Unlucky Thirteen, is because of the fact that she became an outcast from the ODSTs, leaving her to herself. Also, it's a spin-off from her nametag, 013, where 13 is the renowned unlucky number. Jeff is the only one that calls her Tutes, 'cept for Frederic who's started doing so too ;).

I never really considered it, but I actually might! Frederic is a wonderful character that I enjoy writing, just like I enjoy writing all other characters, hah. No but really, I might consider doing that once this story comes to an end. _Which it won't in the near future, I got much planned._

I'm a little confused with what you wrote there, you want her to nickname the ODSTs as 'virus'?

 **Haruna Shikao -** Jeff is amazing, _I know_. 3 I love him a lot as well, and I never knew that he would grow so close to me, but he has. I think that it's pretty useless to feel awkward if a relationship fails. Sure, it can be a lil awkward in the beginning but I mean, why should it ruin a friendship? Because you have intimate memories with each other? That should only mean that you're the closest of friends, and those you shouldn't throw away! (Unless the relationship sucked, and was abusive, then hell yes, leave those behind. You're not worth having to be more tormented than you already have been).

Yeah, gotta love that cybernetic arm! Even though he has to relearn everything... At least he got his arm back, right? He might, or he might not go apeshit on the ODSTs, maybe 013 or even Master Chief gets to that before he does. Who knows? (I do, hah).

Dum dum duuuum, _c'mon, what's in the box!?_ Can anyone place the reference? And haha, well, I want to see how their friendship progresses too. I wish I could type up chapters faster, but I can't so I have to settle for how it is. Jeff and Frederic do seem compatible in the terms of being awesome friends with each other, yes. I love that you're dorking out, it makes me all giddy and happy and whatnot! So do continue, don't let yourself stop yourself! (What even is grammar?). And hey, I'm a not-so-secret Star Wars fan, so I don't mind, _at all._ May the force be with you, too!

 **Guest22** \- No problem, and thank you!

 **Endu** \- Thank you! I thought so too when writing it. I took the decision that 013's and Jeff's relationship has to have some sort of depth besides being best comrades with the soldier-life as their similarity. And hey, being a girly guy isn't anything bad, not _at all!_ So don't think it's negative to be so, actually, by all means, be the **best** girly guy there is! She might regain it, or not, that's up for the story to decide (which is me, really, hah).

 **Guest -** We're coming to that. A litte more stuff has to happen, and also be explained before the Chief and 013 can interact again - things that are crucial to the plot, and that'll take it forward. But I'll consider throwing in some Chief and 013 action in the next chapter, perhaps!

 **Skittlez** \- I'd like to start of saying that I am **amazed.** That you chose mine to be the first story to read in ages, makes me just- I don't even have words to describe it at the moment. Your review was mind boggling, seriously, and I can only thank you a thousand times for telling me that. I hope you'll stick around to the finish of this story, and that with every step of the way, you'll never lose interest. Once again, _thank you!_

 **Aggiefan15** \- Alright, so you're the winner of my gift! I'll PM you with the specifics, and you can reply there as to what scenario you have cooked up for me to write. Congratulations once again! As for your review, I'm so happy you're loving it! Here's a new chapter for you to enjoy!

 **Guest -** Thank you, and bless you for reading!

Phew, that was a long list of reviews, all which were read with a smile on my face. As for those that have followed and favved, a huge **thank you** to you guys, you amazin'!

And yes, if you count the reviews, you see that the last guest is the tenth reviewer, however, there is someone that reviewed (legit reviews) twice, and so that makes Aggiefan15 the winner, for those that are confused.

Now to the disclaimer, as per usual, ya know.

 **Disclaimer:** _Who am I kidding? Why would I own the Halo franchise? (I should own it though, or at least work at 343Industries, wouldn't that be something?)._

P.S. In a few upcoming chapters, I'll bring back the 10th reviewers' gift, however it won't be the same gift as this one!

Now onwards to the chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 12 -** _ **Questionable Transmissions**_

There are moments in life… Where you simply can't stop the question of _"what if"_ erratically playing on your mind, in endless, repetitive cycles. To even a _ttempt_ stopping it, is just as useful as digging your own grave with the help of a spoon.

You get nowhere doing so. Which might be unfortunate, if someone have a compulsory need to themselves that involves digging their own grave prematurely.

Whatever floats their boat.

However, just as you get nowhere, you most _definitely_ don't get any results that border onto the positive spectrum, either.

No - no matter how much you resist, somehow, and _some way_ , the question will _always_ \- either sooner or later - just simply _pop up_ , despite those countless attempts of pushing it away. The perfect example to imagine the exasperation of having to cope with it, is very much like that _one_ irritating itch that you simply can't scratch.

It's just as antagonizing as it sounds.

And since those moments when the unstoppable _"what if"_ pops up, are almost always met with a casket - or caskets, really - full of irritation, and mentioned exasperation, tinged with a small dose of simmering hatred, the Chief currently found himself narrowing his eyes and slowly breathing out the air which he had trapped within the confines of his lungs.

It was no question about the fact that he was now facing one of those moments, the question of _"what if"_ bothering his mind – more so than he wanted to admit.

The countless questions kept mounting up into big piles that started to look much like the leaning tower in Pisa.

Which wasn't at all thrilling.

But then again, it's one of those exasperatingly, non-stoppable moments, and so he could only sit on the crate stacked at the very end of the hangar, and let the questions run their race.

What if he hadn't argued with 013 after her interrogation with Command - would they still be on speaking terms?

But, what if they did have their argument, which the so-obviously had, and he instead would have opted to resolve the situation than let it fester – much to Kelly's displeasure?

Would it all have been different then?

Would it have been better for him, or worse? Or perhaps even if he did change any of the factors, the result would still simply be the same - that 013 would still act as if he was part of the wall – He was there, but not _there._

He wasn't used to having to cope with these kind questions that were running rampant behind his helmet - as he rarely ever experienced those irritating and exasperating moments that questioned his decisions in the first place.

He was only acting in the way he knew how, and that was to speak his mind, no sugar-coating or being gentle when going about it.

But because of his error – he unwillingly admitted that the fault was his, as the timing of their argument was impeccable, not to mention _very badly planned,_ the situation at hand was now his to deal with.

It definitely hadn't been the right time to question 013 about her past, and the reason why was simple - she had just gone through an investigation in which she was put under the threat of permanent discharge.

He knew that Command was acting out of their boundaries, and that no one was seeing it, was causing him to question the viability of the Board. His team was with him, their own suspicions backing his own up.

He was sure that Command knew that what they were doing, accusing 013 with far-fetched claims, is morally wrong, which means there is a bigger picture.

That there was something at work behind the investigation.

And it was a picture that he promised himself to discover and piece together.

Speaking of promises…

He had, or has, rather, despite her words of dismissing the promise, promised 013 to look into the suspicious activity of Command. And that's what he was going to do. He would have to call his team to him later tonight to discuss and work out a viable plan.

Which might be harder than originally thought, because along with 013, they too had been pulled in.

And that meant they were also under the watchful eyes of Command, so they had to, from here on out, proceed very cautiously, or else there was little chance in them being able to assist 013 with the false accusations being thrown her way.

Another factor that he had to consider, was that he was a soldier through and through, and going against the orders of Command was a difficult thing for him to do. He did have history of defying a couple orders, if only to suit his purposes.

But that's simply because he has to think of the whole, and not the specifics. Humanity had been at stake, and so he went against orders to fight the imminent threats.

That didn't make him a bad soldier.

But it didn't necessarily make him a good one either…

The Chief shook his head, dismissing the train of thought. There was a reason why he didn't dwell for too long on such thoughts - there were no results to gather but confusion.

Instead, he chose to reflect on the event that had occurred in the mess earlier. He had once again seen 013, however, this time around, there had been something wrong.

Something that was amiss, as the usual glance of anger, bitterness and hurt hadn't been present - in its place there had only been confusion and surprise.

As if he was a stranger.

The way she had regarded him, her eyes devoid of every emotion that he had come to expect when meeting her grey orbs, had now broken away from that standard procedure. He'd felt prickles of anger at her _new_ way of silently telling him that he was at fault, as she was one to make sure that it was all on _him,_ that the blame was all his own. In his defence however, he argued that he wasn't the only one to blame, because 013 has the opportunity to come forward and confront him, rather than let him step forward to solve their conflict.

In fact, if he even _tried_ that, he would most likely be swept to the side, like his attempt meant nothing.

Not to mention, he was never one to apologize to others for his actions. He couldn't remember the last time he did so. It didn't lay in his nature, as he was a very closed-off individual, and quite uncaring of most things, his duty as a soldier almost always on the front of his mind.

To approach and understand those rather immaculate, and in his opinion, rather useless, things called emotions, was something he just doesn't do.

But when thinking further on it, he felt that 013's gaze was just way too off to be stapled as 'the cold shoulder' attitude, and thus it had him slowly questioning why. Her gaze held no recognition…, not of him, and not even of the mess hall - it had looked like she was seeing the place for the first time, which he knew just wasn't right.

She had been there many times, yet during that specific occurrence, it was as if she hadn't.

The Chief leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees as he continued mulling over the scenario.

He sat in his silence, the hangar void of any other individuals.

His shoulders weighed heavy, slumping against his form. His facial futures were angled in repressed exhaustion, and his eyelids hung with tiredness.

He didn't understand why he was putting so much weight into his relation to 013… What made him _care?_ What made him brood on the _fact_ that _he cared_?

Somehow, some way, 013 had managed to nestle herself into his life, slowly but surely infiltrating his otherwise strict routine. He had started to question himself, started to question his decision-making, and even perhaps his _duty._

And because of his questioning, it led him to thinking on what life truly was about… He was a soldier, and he performed perfectly as one - but that was apparently not a too positive thing, as Cortana told him to beware of the risk of becoming a machine.

She had told him, that he was also human. But… _What does being human mean?_

 **013's room, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

There was a slight breeze wafting from the ventilation shaft, and a soft hum coming from within the walls. Other than that, there was only silence - excluding her rhythmic heartbeat and quiet breaths. 013 was staring down at her gun, her beloved M6H magnum pistol with a smart-linked scope. She knew it was _her_ gun, because the familiarity that had washed over her upon seeing it told her of its supposed importance that had her subconscious surge with a far-off joy as there were no exact memories of her using it to represent that joy - thus, its far-off feeling.

She was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she was suffering from memory loss, despite that she was dealing with it just like any other individual would. At least, that's what Doc had informed her upon their routine check this morning.

She figured that she kind of didn't _want_ to come to terms with the fact that she was suffering from memory loss, as she then had to grasp that she had memories… Repressed, withheld memories that contained experience that she couldn't even begin to try imagine.

It was weird, really, having to accept that the her that she was, was only a _temporary_ her. If that even makes sense. She figured that the saying ' _what you don't know, can't hurt you'_ pretty much sums her life up at the moment. She wasn't aware of that she was missing out on anything, and so she didn't suffer from it.

Although, she had sneaking suspicion that the life she was living, the one pre her memory loss, wasn't too easy, as Doc had been quite evasive when she asked her what went on in her life post the accident.

' _Accident'_ , rather.

013 let out a sigh, and let the thoughts go. In this rate, she'd end up sporting another headache, and that wasn't on her short list of things to do, seeing that she had already encountered a headache once before from thinking too much about her current predicament.

It lead her to nothing but irritating pain, ironically enough.

Instead, she refocused on her gun lying before her, the magnum glimmering in the lamp light.

She was going to try out a theory that she had been mulling over for some time. She wondered if she could still disassemble her gun and hen reassemble it afterwards, despite not having any memory of ever having done so.

Thinking further on it, 013 knew that she not only wanted to test her muscle memory, but also believed that it might help spark a memory or two. That the assignment she had given herself would speed up the process of repairing her mind.

And perhaps also because she felt sorrow upon discovering Jeff's lost limb. That had been a sight that she definitely hadn't been prepared for, and 013 had to withhold her grief when she was with Jeff. Simply because she felt that it would just be disrespectful to show her pity, since not only would it be misinterpreted as her lack of belief in him overcoming the misfortune of losing his arm, but also showcase that she, as his best friend, didn't trust his word on overcoming it.

She, not so much to the contrary, actually _did_ believe that he would most certainly handle it. Probably even better than she ever would have if _she_ had been the one lying in that bed with a cybernetic arm.

Most likely she kind of wanted to pay a tribute to him, or something, by testing her own muscle memory.

Or perhaps she was just making up excuses to hide the feeling of paranoia that had overcome her after her talk with Jeff...

Yeah, it probably was the latter - wanting to hide her paranoia by testing her own muscle memory. It did make sense, after all.

So, she set about disassembling the magnum M6H, loosening the pieces and then carefully placing them on the cloth set on the floor before her. The process at first was rocky, and very unstable and unsure, because she didn't truly know what she was doing, but as her fingers felt the pieces within her grasp, it was as if her subconscious suddenly took over, her fingers upping their tempo and dismantling it with an ease that only professionals had.

013's eyes were solidly following along the movements of her hands, while her mind was more than intrigued. How was she able to do this with such ease and simplicity? Just, _how?_

A small smile curved the corners of her lips upwards, and a content sigh escaped them.

When all the pieces of her magnum lay before her on the blue washed-out cloth, 013 hummed in delight. Yes, she definitely felt that this was her gun, and she now understood _why_ it was her favourite gun.

It was easy to handle, yet could be used at both short, medium _and_ long-range distance, despite that it had a rather short ammo capacity with more bloom, which was why it suffered in the accuracy department.

But still, it was lightweight, and she just _knew_ that she knew this gun like the back of her hand.

She set out with reassembling it again, putting it back into its complete form. She held the gun within her grasp, tilting it side to side as she inspected it thoroughly.

' _Such a nice gun… I like this gun.'_ She joyfully murmured to herself, the gleam of the gun in the yellow lights a very appealing image to 013's mind.

' _Picture-perfect, that's for sure.'_

"What are you drooling about, Tutes?"

The sudden noise had 013 abruptly breaking eye-contact with the metal beauty held within her hands, and instead quickly snapping her head to the source of the voice.

"Oh, Jeff. Of course it's you." She said, upon taking in the sight of her best friend standing in the doorway of her dorm. Her voice was laced with aloofness, just to antagonize him a little. He did deserve it for spooking her like he just did.

Jeff only let out a sigh and eye-rolled at her behaviour before walking inside and sitting down on the floor, opposite of her form.

"So you've found your soul-mate I see."

"What? Soul-mate? Who- _Oh._ " 013 sent him a small glare, and clutched the gun close to her chest.

"At least my _soul-mate_ doesn't talk back in a demeaning voice like some _other_ people I know." 013 rebuked, her grey eyes slanting over to look down onto her gun. She almost wanted to coo at it, just to spite Jeff, but figured that it would perhaps be a bit too much.

Not that she really cared, though. Jeff was used to her bouts of spontaneity and weird behaviours.

It was just who she was.

Or, that's who she _thought_ she was at least - she didn't have much to go on to make a solid judgement.

"Do you hear that, Tutes?" Jeff suddenly asked, his facial futures twisting into a questioning expression, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked at her. 013 arched an eyebrow at the sudden shift in expression, but decided to answer anyway.

"No, why? What is it?"

Jeff leaned closer to her then, still maintaining eye contact, before lifting his hand and placing it right above his heart.

" _That's the sound of you breaking my heart._ " He said slowly, his voice low and barely audible. Just as he had finished his sentence, 013's face twisted into a deadpan expression as it went up for her that she had just fallen for one of Jeff's dramatic pranks.

"Wooow, _funny._ How original of you, really. But hey, guess what? Do you hear _that s_ ound? That's the sound of you breaking my _non-existent feelings_."

At her comeback, Jeff leaned back into his original position, but this time there was a wide grin on his face.

"Damn, that was a good one. I'm starting to think I'm getting a little competition here."

"Flattery won't get you anywhere with me, Jeff, so don't even try."

"Oh, but it did once didn't it?"

"..."

"Aaaand I'm still the master of the trade. Tutes, I don't even know why you continue in trying to out-best me at my own game. Haven't you learned already that you just _can't win_ in a verbal tennis match with me?"

"Rub it in my face, will you? One day, I _will_ out-best you, and when that day comes, it'll be _glorious."_

Jeff just chuckled, and reached forward to pat 013 on the top of her head, ruffling the brown locks that had just recently been secured in a bun.

It definitely wasn't a bun anymore.

" _Jeff!_ " 013 whined almost immediately as her hands set out to fix the mess _he_ had created.

' _Great, it looks like I have bird's nest on top of my head now. Lovely.'_

"How's your eye doing?" Came a sudden question, and 013 stopped threading her fingers through her hair. Her single visible grey eye looked down onto to the blue cloth in contemplation. She was quiet for a few moments, before finally voicing a reply.

"I guess it's alright… I don't really feel anything behind the patch, it's like I don't have anything behind it at times, but the tingling sensation that comes from time to time tells me that my eye is still probably intact." She glanced in the direction of the door, which was still wide open.

However, there wasn't anyone standing there - fortunately. She wasn't one to want others know that she felt insecure or _weak._ Because really, she wasn't - at the moment she was just have a lapse, her faith in herself slightly wavering, and that was all okay. She was currently suffering from memory loss, and still trying to come to terms with it - not to mention the added weight of guilt that she felt from Jeff losing his limb.

Had she just _been there,_ it might've turned out different…

But she wasn't. _She wasn't,_ and now Jeff is suffering those consequences.

' _It's not like you could've been there anyway, you were stuck at the Infirmary, and you didn't even know until a day ago that Jeff is your best friend. Stop blaming yourself.'_

A heavy sigh left her, before she shifted her gaze to meet Jeff's soothing blue eyes. She always felt calm looking into his eyes, as they were now one of the very few things she could recognize - and even have memories of.

The blame wasn't hers, she knew that, but even though she tried convincing herself of that fact, that prickle of guilt still came washing over her from time to time, weighing down on her shoulders.

"Ironic how both of us are now a little damaged. A matching combo, don't you think?" Jeff's voice held a lilt of humour, and 013 knew he was trying to ease the uneasiness that was currently permeating the air, and it pulled at the corners of her lips.

Of course he'd do that. Jeff always tried to be the light-hearted one, even in the most shitty of situations.

' _So typical of you, Jeff…'_

But it was one of the characteristics about him that she just loved, and she would never want to see him ever try repressing it simply because others told him he shouldn't be joking. Rather, marines should take _any_ opportunity to laugh, as they never know if it might be their last time.

A small chuckle escaped 013, and she leaned back against the railing of her bed.

"Yeah, we definitely are. We should start a club - _The Damaged Misfits_ , isn't that kind of fitting?"

"Yeah, and self-explanatory, so we don't have to explain ourselves every single time to those that are incapable to understand _English. D_ amn that'd be annoying..."

"Amen to that."

"Amen."

Jeff quirked his lips, before shifting his gaze around. It was then that he spotted something lying underneath 013's bed, and his brow furrowed.

"Hey Tutes, what's that lying under your bed?"

013, having not expected the question, sent him a questioning glance before shifting onto her knees to look under her bed.

"I have no idea. I don't recognize it, not that I expected to either." She said gruffly, her breath coming out short as she pulled the box to her from under the bed and then shifting back to her leaning position against the railing. Her grey orbs studied the brown shoebox-like box. Her interest was definitely peeked.

"Do you know what it is? Maybe you've seen it lying around in my room when you've been here?" She asked Jeff, her gaze still remaining on the box.

"Nope, never seen it. This is the first time I've laid my eyes on it." Jeff hummed, before he then continued.

"What if you flip it over? Maybe there's something written on it somewhere."

013 followed Jeff's question, holding the box securely in her grasp before slowly turning it over to its backside.

As soon as she did, a cold chill ran up her spine, and her jaw tensed.

The backside of the box wasn't a plain and empty canvas. There were words written on it.

Words that she couldn't place, yet they gave her an uncanny feeling. A _bad_ uncanny feeling.

"It's, ah… Nothing important… Just my stash of private stuff, that's only privvy to me. Sorry Jeff." She mumbled a quick reply before flipping the box over again, and sliding it back haphazardly under the bed.

She didn't care where it landed, just it got out of her sight.

"Anyway, what's up with your spontaneous visit to my humble abode?" Her orbs returned to looking at Jeff, as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. She wanted to appear as if the box hadn't affected her, even though it had. But if she looked normal, _indifferent,_ Jeff would most likely just let the matter slide by, and not question her further on the brown box lying under her bed. It's what she hoped for at least.

"Well, I was really only walking past, 'cause I couldn't stay a second longer in the Infirmary with those meddling doctors. The kept probing me with questions of how I feel, and how I'm coping with my new cybernetic arm. I told them I'm doing fine. Sure, I lost a limb, but it's not like it's the end of the _damn world_. They treat me as if I'm gonna break into tears from withheld sorrow or something. Geesh, I'm a _soldier,_ not some frail civilian that has issues because they got told the world doesn't revolve around them. _Holy fuck_." Jeff ended his rant by heaving a deep breath and then breathing all the air out in one go.

"There, guess I had some shit I needed to vent. But yeah, it was really a coincidence that I stumbled upon your dorm, which happened to conveniently be open. And obviously I took the opportunity to say hi if it means I get to hassle you. It's one of my top three activities aboard this ship when momentarily off the roster." At the mention of the roster, Jeff's facial expression quicklyn shifted into guilt, and 013 didn't understand why. She poked at him with her foot.

"Why the sudden guilt-ridden face?" She sounded so naive, and so innocent, that Jeff had to swallow the lump building in his throat. Of course, she still didn't know what kind of fucked up life she was living before the memory loss, and it was completely understandable.

However, he wasn't going to be the one that's going to spill the beans, no, that's for the people that _caused_ her situation. _They_ will feel the brunt of 013's renowned wrath, not to mention truly see _first-hand_ how worn and exhausted 013 really is. She might not know it, but _he_ could see it.

It was reflected in the lack of sleep she was getting, as the bags under her eyes were several shades darker than what they were supposed to be, and how her eyes had lost that joyful spark that otherwise played within her stormy grey orbs.

013 wasn't living at the moment - No, what she was doing, was _surviving_. The memory loss is _nothing_ compared to the shitstorm that she has been forced to handle, prior the so called _'accident'_.

He might not know the very specifics of the Board's claim, and even if he did, he wouldn't care. 013 was his best friend, his other half, and he didn't give a single shit about the details. What he cared about was to get 013 back to the one she once was, the lively marine that could pull pranks on the same level as him. He missed those days, as it had been a little less than 6 months ago that 013 had truly been herself.

How long had it been since 013 first came into his life, anyway? It felt like decades ago. Was it maybe…, one and half, two years ago? He believed it was somewhere around there. He'd never forget the day they met, as it symbolized the start of their wonderful relationship…

 **-Flashback-**

 _The girl looked every bit of lost as she probably felt, her grey eyes quickly fluttering around. The word 'newcomer' was written all over her face, and Jeff couldn't help but quirk a smile at the sight. One if his buddies poked him in the ribs with his elbow, bringing his attention to him, and away from the girl standing at the entrance of the mess hall._

" _She in your fancy, Jefferson? She doesn't look all too bad, maybe a little too muscle-y for my taste, but maybe not yours. Why not grab that piece of meat?" His buddy jokingly said, which earned him a couple of chuckles from the other surrounding marines seated at the table. Jeff just shook his head, but kept his grin intact._

 _The girl certainly looked intriguing, and he wouldn't mind to get to know her. But there would be an issue with his friends… As they would probably ask him if he'd tapped it yet, which wouldn't exactly be his intention._

 _Not that she wasn't tap-able, because she was._

 _He shifted his gaze back to the entrance, only to find it empty. He scanned the perimeter of the mess hall, before finding her again. This time, she stood in line at the lunch serving area, with a tray in hand._

 _He was once again interrupted by his comrades elbowing him, however this time they were pointing at a group of ODSTs standing off to the side. They had sneers plastered onto their faces, and a sense of foreboding washed over him._

 _And he had been right in suspecting something._

 _The ODST gang had slowly approached the girl, the four flocking around her. He saw their lips move, probably chatting about some useless bullshit or other, before one of them 'casually' slipped out his foot, placing it close to hers, so that when she would once again start to walk, she would trip._

 _His jaw tensed at the scene, because it wasn't the first time the ODSTs did something like that. No, it was almost like a rite. Whenever a newcomer comes on-board the Infinity, they would approach him or her, and then 'accidentally' cause them to trip._

 _He wasn't about to let that happen however, as he was just about to rise from his seat to walk over there and call quits to their bullshit, but he never got the chance, because the girl suddenly smashed her tray into one of their faces, and then kicking away the foot that had been placed near hers. She sent a punch to the other one standing on her left, and his body careened into the floor. There was one that got away unscathed, but he had mostly kept to the shadows and never initiated anything with her, and so, he wasn't on the receiving end of her punches._

 _There was a smug, and proud, smirk on the girl's face after she stepped over the ODSTs lying on the mess hall's floors, and he couldn't stop himself from smiling with her._

 _He certainly hadn't expected that change of event, but nonetheless, it had certainly been entertaining._

 _The girl then came his way, and upon taking in her facial futures, he spotted a piece of pasta hanging in the brown locks of her hair. A small, soundless laugh escaped him and he arched an eyebrow. He proceeded to rise from his seat, before meeting the girl's gaze head on, who'd come to a stop upon him rising. She herself quirked an eyebrow in question, and Jeff smiled._

" _You, ah, have some spaghetti left in your hair." He said, before reaching out with his hand and picking the spaghetti piece away, throwing it onto his tray that was still lying on the table._

 _The girl sent him a lopsided smile, and it only caused his smile to broaden. Yeah, he could definitely see himself befriending this girl. She seemed kind of like him -a trickster._

" _Oh, thanks. But maybe I wanted it there?" Her answer took him by surprise, however he found himself pretty quick, and fired off his own reply._

" _You mean you were aware of the spaghetti in your hair? And you just figured that "yeah, that looks kinda nice, I'm going to keep it there"?"_

" _Something like that." The girl sent him a sinful smirk, and her grey orbs twinkled. Jeff only stared, before curving the right tip of his lip, forming a smirk of his own, and then lifting his hands up in defeat._

" _Alright, I believe you." He said, before letting his hands fall back down._

" _That was kinda brave by the way, how you stood up to those ODSTs. They're known for playing pranks on the newcomers." Jeff jerked his head in the direction of said ODST gang, who had now picked themselves up, and sourly shuffled off to the side and back into their seats._

" _They are? Well, now that I'm around, they're not going to be able to continue their little tradition for much longer." The brunette said, her voice laced with a strong conviction._

" _I bet, you're not someone I'd piss off for shits and giggles. I'm Jefferson by the way, but everyone just calls me Jeff." He reached out with his hand, as his blue orbs locked onto her stormy grey. The girl didn't hesitate in grasping his hand and shaking it._

" _I'm 013."_

 **-Flashback End-**

"It's nothing, I just thought of how much crap my Commander is going to give me when I see her the next time." Jeff said uneasily, his arm rising to massage the back of his neck. 013 however, only looked at him as if he had grown a second head.

"What? Why? You've been stuck in the _Infirmary_ because of severe injuries - hell, you _lost a whole fucking limb,_ who is she to take a piss on you for _that?_ Point me in the direction of her office, 'cause this ship is still like a damn maze to me, and I'll tell her to back the _fuck off._ "

Jeff blinked at the sudden burst of anger coming from his best friend. Here she was sitting, having memory loss, and still she'd stand up to a higher-up for his sake. She'd stand up to his _Commander,_ who's one of the most renowned commanders there are, _for his sake._

' _I'm amazed.'_

But, he wasn't about to let her do that, however.

"No, Tutes, don't-don't do that. I'll handle this one, alright?"

"Buzzkill, but whatever. Whatever floats your boat, or something, right?"

Jeff just shook his head, but a smile crept up onto his lips nonetheless.

"Well, I gotta go, but you take care, Tutes. I'll say hi to Doc from ya." And with that, he rose, but before he disappeared, he ruffled 013's hair once again, which earned him a mumbled ' _fuck you',_ and _then_ he proceeded to exit 013's "humble abode", closing the door after himself.

* * *

 _ **Unidentified, scrabbled COM-link:**_

 _Tccchhhh… We got th-the locatio-on, shall we proceed… proceed, as planned-d, Dr. C?_

" _Proceed, S.M. Yo-… your m-mission starts now-w."_

 _Scrub the COM-l-link._

" _Already done-e."_

* * *

Aaaaand the cliffhangers are back, **mwahahaha!**


	14. Chapter 013 - Halloween Shenanigans

Okay, I couldn't wait any longer with posting this chapter, even though Halloween is in a little less than a month, _25 days to be exact,_ but I'm too thrilled to hear what you guys think about this one. Mainly because it stars 013 and _The Chief,_ which is something quite a few of you have been asking for. And so, I composed a special chapter just for you guys, that has Halloween as its main theme, simply because of her namesake and of it being October- _which is THE month of **Halloween!**_ Yes, as many of you perhaps notice, I love Halloween. It's just amazing, even though Swedish people barely care to celebrate it... I mean, they don't know if it's the 31th of October, or the 1th of November! Just _how_ can you get that wrong? Jesus Christ, people. I wish I was in America to celebrate it, cause they at least know how to do it right.

Anyhow, before I go on to reply to reviews and such, I just gotta mention that this chapter is supposed to be further into the plot, which means that THIS chapter doesn't take place after the last chapter. No, this takes place later, but it doesn't spoil anything essential, and I just felt that you guys deserved this chapter because of your dedication to this story. I'm still amazed that you all are here, reading every chapter that I post, and it makes me immensely happy, seriously.

Anyway, onto the reviewers!

 **Halolz -** Cliffhangers are definitely back! I'm not about to stop with them ;). Yeah, I do believe I've set the bar high, as it's something I do with just about anything, but this particular story has it extra high. This becuse I myself, see this story as more than just a story. It's a part of my life, you know. Anyway, thank you for saying that I've kept up the quality even though the bar is raised high, it really brought a smile to my face! Ah, the box, wanna take a guess at what might be in it?

 **Actually guys,** and now I mean **ALL** of you; I would love to hear your guesses of what might lay in that box. Who knows, the one who actually gets it right might get a reward. No guarantees though, but it would be fun to see what you all think!

 **Dragonblade94 -** I know, we haven't seen much of Chief as of late, and it's done so purposely. Because she suffers from memory loss, she and the Chief don't get to interact much, not to mention that last time they saw each other, and with her memories intact, they argued. So realistically, they won't converse with each other. However, in compensation, you all get this chapter, that only have 013 and the Chief in it.

Hahah, that's actually hilarious, and it made me laugh reading it! It means you're liking it so far, and hopefully, it'll stay that way!

 **Guest -** Well then, this chapter is for you if it's interaction with the Chief and 013 that you're looking for!

 **Skittlez** \- Cliffhangers, **_boom._** No, but really, I know they might be painstakingly annoying, but at the same time, it builds up giddiness for the next chapter. It's a renowned tactic of authors ;). That, hearing you say that, wow. your favourite author... _Thank you!_ That probably just made my day, dude.

Thank you, guys, for reviewing! I love hearing from you, it's amazing! And thank you to those that have favved and followed, you all are amazing as well, don't forget that!

Now, onto the disclaimer:

 **Disclaimer** : _Anyone heard of any news of Halo 6 yet? I keep googlin', but there's no set date for its release... Makes me just as sad as me waking up every morning and realizing that no, I still don't own Halo._

* * *

 **Chapter 013 - _Halloween Shenanigans_**

013 currently sat on one of the single steel chairs that were stationed within each of the debriefing rooms on the upper deck of the _Infinity,_ her legs swinging back and forth as she hummed the lyrics to ' _This is Halloween'_ quietly to herself.

She wasn't a good singer, _not at all,_ so it was probably only a relief that she wasn't _yelling_ the lyrics out loud for the rest of the people present on the upper deck to hear.

That would give Doc too much to do, having to check everyone's hearing for permanent damage - _and_ it would not be worth the reprimand she would most definitely receive from the stern woman…

" _This is Halloween, this is Halloween - Pumpkins scream in the dead of night. This is Halloween, everybody make a scene - Trick or treat till the neighbors gonna die of fright…!"_

Along with her quiet humming, 013 was rather preoccupied with carving a master piece into the pumpkin that she had smack-bam placed right onto the steel table before her. How she had managed to get hold of one… Well, it was all really thanks to the chefs onboard, as they had been gracious enough to hand her one of their pumpkins, even though Halloween was just right around the corner - which meant pumpkin spiced and pumpkin flavoured food.

' _I can already taste it…'_

Oh, and perhaps maybe add a little bit of flirting and throw in Lasky's name - and _voilá_ , you have one convinced chef handing you a pumpkin.

' _I feel like a Master Tactician, they should hire me for my impressive skills.'_

It was just then, as her knife was carving out the final tooth into the pumpkin, that none other but _Master Chief_ came by. He was standing in the doorway, decked out in a navy blue jumper along with a pair of standard-issued fatigues and black tie-up boots, holding his typical, strict pose, his back straight and arms hanging neutrally at his sides.

013 was of course completely oblivious to his presence, her focus entirely stuck onto the master piece before her. So she just sat there, in her obliviousness, humming the last tunes of the song without a single care that anyone was looking on at her right then.

If she had known - well, she would definitely not be humming, because she was _terrible_ at the song's tunes, as it sounded much like nails being dragged along a blackboard.

" _This is Halloween, this is Halloween -Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! … In this town we call home - Everyone hail to the pumpkin song."_

However, because of her being stuck within her little bubble and not noticing the Chief standing in the doorway, the sudden, disembodied voice asking her "What are you doing?", _which really came from absolutely nowhere according to herself_ , had her startled, and she ended up giving the pumpkin a bit of a snaggletooth.

… Well, _more_ of snaggletooth than what she had originally had in mind.

Her surprised gaze quickly flitted up to whoever it was that had called out to her, and she discovered that it was her favourite Spartan. Not that _he_ knew that he was her favourite, because she couldn't exactly just go up to him and tell him _'hey, you're my fav Spartan, deal with it'_ and then just walk away as if what she had done was _completely normal._

No, no that wasn't where she was going to go with that.

"Oh, hey Chief! I'm carving a pumpkin for Halloween, which is _seriously_ the best holiday out of those that exist. It even beats Christmas. But apparently not everyone thinks so, they don't seem to be as enthusiastic over the holiday like I am… But hey, they suck, so whatever. But yeah, the pumpkin's actually coming along pretty nicely, if I do say so myself. I mean, it's looking all wickedly and all, isn't that neat?"

After 013 had spoken, the Chief remained standing where he was, however this time with a rather dubious look on his face. Somehow, he was feeling a _little_ doubtful over that everyone should like Halloween as much as 013 seemingly does. And at the same time, he wondered why 013 had such an… _obsession_ of Halloween, to begin with.

Inarguably, it _did_ suit her namesake, but it couldn't be the only reason. Right?

013 lifted her pumpkin high just then, and Chief took notice of that the bottom of the pumpkin had been cut away, only a gaping hole where it once had been. Curiously, he arched an eyebrow, to which 013 only responded by smiling wickedly, before abruptly pulling the pumpkin onto her head.

"See! It's a _helmet!_ Bet you weren't expecting that, huh? It's pretty epic though, no? All that's missing is planting some lights within this thing to make it shine bright, and paint my face black, and…" Her words died on her tongue when the Chief suddenly shifted, his massive form slowly walking forward, _approaching her_.

Immediately, 013 felt immense apprehension, her form tensing as she _not-so-subtly_ took a step backwards, having risen out of her seat when lifting the pumpkin to place on her head, and her eyes flitted over the Spartan's form in a habit of nervousness. Her action in taking a step back, had been nothing but an automatic response, her _defense mechanism_ , as her fight-or-flight reflexes kicked in – simply because her frame of mind didn't like the sudden shift in the atmosphere, the tension and static overtaking the calmness and serenity that had previously permeated the vicinity.

"What are you doing?" 013 asked lowly, her voice sounding very out of breath, as if she had been deprived of air for a long amount of time. However, she didn't receive a reply to her question, the silence remaining. Instead, Master Chief just continued approaching her, until he stood right in front of her, his body in _very_ close proximity with hers. She could _feel_ the heat radiating off of his form, and enveloping her own, small frame. A small part of her mind screamed at her to nestle herself closer to the warmth. And she didn't argue against that little voice, however she would not act on it, despite her inner wish of wanting to do so. Right now wasn't the right time.

"… C-Chief? What are you-"She spoke up once again, however, she never got to finish her uttered sentence before the Spartan before her interrupted.

"You're hiding." He said plainly, his words uttered in complete and utter confidence. He was conveying a _statement,_ just like one would state the weather - or something along those lines.

013 had no reply to give him upon hearing his words, because she was at the moment stuck with the thought that _yes, yes she was hiding,_ and he _knew_ that she was.

But then, her mind did a complete 180, and she quizzically lifted her eyebrows.

 _Even though her attempt would most likely be useless and in vain, she still had to try. Try convince him 'no'._

"I'm not hiding, what makes you say that?" 013 in improvised, _much improvised,_ casualness asked. But just like the words 'reality sucks', her attempt was much the same. _It sucked_ , and she knew she was only grasping at straws with her rather depressing attempt in trying to convince the Chief otherwise – that she _wasn't,_ in fact, _hiding,_ or doing anything of the sort. No, she was just sitting here, or well, standing actually, testing her helmet, her _master piece_. There was no other ploy besides that…

The Spartan before her only kept his gaze steadfast on her, saying nothing. He didn't _have_ to, because 013 already knew. But that didn't mean she couldn't try, but it'd be fruitless if she did.

And it had been - her attempt, that is.

His mere presence within the debriefing room affected her, both physically and mentally, _tremendously…_ because he was just so _intense,_ and she, _she,_ was _very_ aware of that. _Very. Aware._ She had to swallow down the quickly forming lump in her throat so she wouldn't choke and die, even thought that'd be rather convenient. _Anything_ would be convenient if it got her out of this situation that she unwillingly found herself in.

Well, that was perhaps a bit of an exaggeration on her part… Or was it, really? Maybe it actually was the truth, in a way?

"You're hiding, 013, there is no point in denying that fact. My question is, why?" Master Chief's ocean blue orbs were digging into her, digging into her soul through her own stormy grey eyes – because eyes are the _windows_ to the _soul_. His gaze was scorching, and she wanted to tear hers away, but it was too difficult. The Chief was searching for an answer, and _boy was he going to get it if he kept it up._

013 didn't offer any reply. Not because she didn't want to – well, maybe she entirely didn't want to answer, but either way, it was because she actually _couldn't._ She couldn't voice the reason why, that he made her nervous, made her uneasy… and even made her a little _scared,_ because of her growing attachment to him. She couldn't tell him that. And she didn't _want to_ get attached, because she didn't want her heart to be torn into several different pieces when she realizes, or rather, gets _proven_ that her feeble feelings aren't returned. It was a blow that she just couldn't take. _She couldn't place her heart on her sleeve out in the open, up for grabs. It just wasn't something she was capable of doing._

"Is it because I make you uneasy? Nervous?Or is it maybe that I _scare_ you." Once again, his words weren't asked as a question, but formed as a statement.

013 vividly shook her head in denial. She couldn't let him _know._

"N-no, you don't scare me at all, Chief, why-" She didn't finish her sentence, once again, as her words abruptly got cut off - simply because right then, Master Chief's hands came up to firmly grasp the pumpkin that was still around her head, his large hands enveloping the pumpkin. Her eyes fluttered to the sides, as if she could somehow _see_ his hands there even though there was a wall of pumpkin between her vision and his hands. Her grey orbs then shifted back to settle onto the Chief's own, although she was sure that he could see the rising panic within.

It was in that moment that he then did the unimaginable, _the unpredicted_ , which she never would've been able to prepare for.

He split the pumpkin into two halves, the cracked seam in the pumpkin going almost right down its centre.

Time seemed to stand still for 013 then, as she watched on how he gently but confidently removed the two broken halves away from her face, leaving her without any safe guards to it was just her, and the Chief. She had nothing in her arsenal that she could use to throw him off, nothing else that she could _hide_ behind – not even _lies._

"I do scare you, 013. Every time that I am nearby, you tense, and your eyes gain a frightened look within them. It's there right now." The Chief said, his eyes boring down onto hers. His hands, having discarded the pumpkin halves, came to rest on her shoulders, and oddly enough for 013, the heavy weight of his large hands grasping her shoulders felt rather… _comfortable_ , and somehow, some way, she even felt a little relieved. He was her anchor, keeping her steady when she by her lonesome couldn't. It was also then, as his thumb stroked across her shoulder and neck, that she heaved a quiet and breathless sigh, and came to the conclusion that she should come clean.

Come clean about how he made her _feel_ , how his presence affected her.

"I'm afraid of you because… because I don't want to be _denied._ I want to belong, to someone or to someplace, it doesn't matter… What matters is that I can just _belong,_ that I can fit in. I don't want to be seen as a flaw in the system anymore, or as an abomination… I want to be seen as someone _important."_ As she spoke, her gaze had travelled down to stare unseeingly at the floor, mainly because she didn't have the courage to look him in the eye when spilling her heart's content, her _deepest wishes._

She then continued.

"I'm afraid of you, because in some _fucked up way,_ I've developed-... I've developed an _attachment,_ to you." 013 heaved a rather shaky breath, before then laughing heartlessly, the sounds coming out breathless. Her form tensed as she once again spoke up. This, would be the _hardest part_ to voice.

"I don't know how or why, but it happened. And because it happened, I now feel afraid _-no_ , I feel _terrified._ Terrified, because I know it'll hurt _so much_ when you tell me no. When you, just like everything else in my life, will deny me, because why _the_ _hell_ would you accept someone you barely know into your life? Why would you let me in, when I've done nothing but disrupt you in your mission, acting like an annoying hindrance that just won't disappear."

013's speech finally came to an end, her words ending with a hitch. She almost wanted to break out into laughter at how pathetic she was acting, standing here, telling the Chief about stuff that he had no _fucking clue about._

Through it all, through 013's rant, Master Chief had stood in silence, just listening intently to every word that spilled from her lips. Why he did so, was because everything she said, was important. Every word _mattered._

There was only silence within the room for a few heartbeats, before the Spartan finally took action.

But he didn't do so in words. Words were never his best form of communication, he was a rather quiet man, closed-off, and so he prefers othermethods when it comes to 'speaking' his mind. And no, it didn't go without irony.

His hands left 013's shoulders, and as they did, she wilted just a little, his confident grip taking her own confidence away from her.

His hands went around his neck, and they pulled at the steel chains hanging around him. He grabbed a hold of one of the two chains, freeing it from underneath the navy blue jumper, and lifted it up over his head. The dog-tag jingled with the movement.

The Chief held it momentarily in front of him, before stretching his arms out, so that he could hang it around the girl before him. His movements were watched intensely by her grey gaze, surprise the dominating emotion playing within her glassy orbs. The panic and uncertainty was still there, but they had been pushed off to the side, hiding within the shadows. They were no longer as prominent as before.

The chain made a final jingle as it settled against her chest, it reaching down to the junction of her breasts.

The Chief however, wasn't done yet, as one of his hands, the one that didn't drop to the small of her back to pull her closer… Was placed over the dog-tag, his large hand engulfing a large part of her chest, including the junction of her breasts. Underneath his palm, he felt the rise of where her breasts begun, but that was the last thought on his mind, her rapid heartbeat being in the forefront of his mind.

His hand was warm like a furnace against her skin, burning at her back and at her torso. But it was a pleasurable sort of burn… Because it was the _Chief's_ touch. 013 had to force herself to inhale a large breath full of oxygen upon the contact to not die from asphyxiation.

"There is no reason for you to be afraid. You're a part of us, the Spartan family, which makes you one of _my_ Spartans. Don't doubt that you aren't." And with that, the Chief let his hands linger just a little longer, before he pulled away and walked out of the room, leaving 013 standing there with a hex-mix of feelings within her.

Did he just…?

Did he just call her _his Spartan?_

013 took Master Chief's action for what it was worth; he had just inaudibly said that she belonged to him, that she was _his._

 _His_ Spartan, and _his_ alone.

But what exactly did that _ensue?_ To be _his?_ Did that mean anything beyond belonging to the Spartan family and be under his personal care? Or did it maybe mean…-

' _No, I shouldn't read into it, and go looking for something that just might not be there… It would only end badly.'_

But even so, with her mindset, her hands came up to gently envelop the Chief's dog-tag that now hung around her neck. It was still warm, his natural body temperature having warmed it up. She cast her eyes downwards, reading the text written on it.

 _Spartan John-117,_

 _Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy._

' _John… His name is John.'_

* * *

 **P.S.** _Anyone notice the Chapter's numbers?_


	15. Chapter 14 - Foreboding Storms

Aaaaand we're back with another chapter. Epicness, right? Yeah. Truth be told though, I really don't like how I've written this chapter - there's so much... _wrongness_ in it, ya feel? It doesn't feel coherent, as if I've just taken bits and pieces and glued them together to make a chapter. I'm sorry in advance for that, but since I just couldn't sit with this chapter any longer, or else my eyes would burn, I decided that what the hell, might as well post it. All authors have that one, or maybe even several, chapters in their story that is just a sin to even look at. But it's the truth, and so it'll be. I just hope you all won't flip your shit. I can say that I've already written up half of chapter 15, which is in a much better state, if that's any consolation to y'all.

Anyhow, onto those awesome reviewers!

 **Dragonblade94 -** I'm always one for plot twists and cliffhangers, so in a way I'm happy I got you excited for a different ending that what was given. However, you might be surprised in what this chapter might contain.

 **Halolz -** Thank you, I figured that it'd be a nice Easter egg for people try find. And of course, Halloween was around the corner, something had to be done with that, no? And you're right that it's not just a chapter that has nothing to do with the plot, for it has. Hence, foreshadowing. Awesome of you to notice that! Aww, that makes me so happy to hear, that you're thinking of me and this story on your free time, thank you! 3

 **Haruna Shikaio -** Halloween is epic, I love iiiit. I know it was quite short, but at least it was something, and it was starring two of our favourites. 3

 **Silent Shooter -** Actually, that was an ingenious idea, I might use that for later chapters. Creds given to you, of course.

 **Skittlez -** That, is so amazing to hear! Thank you! Yeah, that pumpkin... I mean, she put so much precious time into and then the Chief comes and is all like _nope._ No saving that pumpkin, unfortunately. Maybe he didn't like the attention it was given compared to the little amount of attention he was receiving from 013. Hey, maybe _he_ wants to be scrutinized on in such careful manner. _Aah, aaaah! -pokes my elbow at you-._

 **I be foxy the pirate** \- You're a new reviewer if I'm not wrong - welcome aboard, Foxy the Pirate! It feels amazing hearing that you're loving this story, and it definitely made me smile. I hope you do stay along for the ride, as this story has quite the few more chapters coming up!

 **dubbel0** \- Ironically, you're Swedish, and I'm fluent in Swedish. I will be having a good day from now on, yes. But thank you, keeping it female-centric is the perspective which this story will continue to follow, with a few changes of perspective thrown in here and there. And it feels awesome that you see me as your favourite author, I'm diggin' it!

Alright, so I guess that was all for the reviewers. Thank you all for putting in time and effort in writing up your opinion to me, as one of the favourite things for me to do is to answer all of your reviews!

As for those that have favved and followed y'all rock! Thank you!

I don't think I have much else to say really, than give the disclaimer and let you all be on your way. Again, I'm sorry if this chapter doesn't hold the same quality as the others, but I totally agree with you if that is your opinion. I'm not extremely happy with it either, but at least it's a chapter!

As per usual, the disclaimer:

 **Disclaimer:** _It's day 300-something, I didn't bother to count, and yet there's still no sign of Halo 6... Where you at, Halo?_

* * *

 **Chapter 14 – _Foreboding Storms_**

A total of three weeks passed by, meaning that it had been a little over a month since her rather unplanned trip to the Infirmary took place. Her eye-patch that she had aggravatingly put up with during those weeks was now finally _gone_ – and it was nothing but a _tremendous relief_. And in addition to that positive note, there was no sustainable damage to her eye, her vision fully restored – Doc having checked and affirmed that all was as it should be.

The slight breeze that had swept over the newly uncovered skin over her eye had been almost an unknown sensation to 013, for it had been so _long_ since she had felt _anything_ but the pressure of the damn _patch_.

' _Thank whatever higher being that it's gone. I feel like a whole new human.'_

The only repercussion that 013 could say she suffered from when taking the hit to her eye, was the little scar running through her brow, the previously split skin having mended itself into scarred tissue.

The scar itself wasn't huge, it was just as thick as a drawn line from a standard pen, about 2 millimetres wide and 2 centimetres in height. It went diagonally across her eyebrow, cutting through the arch of it, before ending right before the crease of her eye. The hair follicles that had been at the arch prior of the scar, were obviously not functional any longer, as there was something called _nature_ , and its law.

But it wasn't like 013 minded it.

In fact, she thought it made her look a little more badass than she already was.

' _Talk about strong self-confidence right there, hah. Total badassery though.'_

As for all her other injuries, she still had light cracks going through the two of her ribs that had been broken, the bone tissue not yet fully healed.

Her concussion however, had been the first of her injuries to disappear, as it had only been minor. Had it been of a more severe degree, she was sure she would still be stuck with it. Hell, even _now_ she sometimes felt phantom traces of pain – of pain that wasn't even _there_. Most likely it was just a psychological remnant of having suffered from a concussion, but nonetheless, it stubbornly fooled itself by still believing it was present. Obviously her brain wasn't getting the memo.

The whole phantom pain-deal is actually rather stressful for the brain, according to general facts. _Why_ it freely subjects itself to that stress… She had no damn clue. She simply believed her brain to be immature and dumb, for inflicting _pain on itself_ because it didn't realize that the _actual_ pain was gone.

She might not be a medical expert, but she was damn sure that it wasn't exactly a very sufficient coping mechanism.

Currently, while having her whole inner monologue of the brain's level of stupidity, 013 was traipsing through the _Infinity's_ corridors, as she had actually managed to regain memories of having walked in them before. It was a huge relief when one day, she woke up and her mind felt more… _clear_. The fog that was hanging over her mind had lifted a little, and as she was making her way to the mess hall, it came back to her, the flashes of images-no, _memories¸_ behind her eyes. They once again settled back into the crevices of her brain, where they _belonged_.

The feeling of regaining a memory was always slightly breathtaking, and even, to a certain degree _, scary_. Scary, because she suddenly would be hit with a bunch of memories that she only moments ago had _no_ recollection of, nor could she ever predict their happenings either. It was a sort of _insecurity_ , because upon receiving a _shitload_ of images that quickly puzzle themselves back together to form an un-fragmented memory, her vision momentarily blacks out, and she wouldn't be able to interpret or even _see_ her surroundings during those relapses. It was all just blank, only her along with the flashing images.

But nonetheless, she also loved the rush of joy that came with the memories, as she realizes that _holy shit, she's regained a memory!_ She was one step closer to rediscovering her true self, and _damn_ did it feel good.

Since she now knew how to navigate herself around the former 'maze' that was the _Infinity,_ she had plans of visiting Doc again soon, and this time she wouldn't have to ask some damn stranger for directions, and _definitely_ not worry of them almost pissing themselves, as the one she had asked where the nearest restroom had been…

Thinking further upon it, she had actually felt a sense of familiarity upon meeting him, like she knew him from somewhere, but she couldn't place from _where._

She had no clue of who he was, and she still didn't, but it was there – tickling her mind, that _yes,_ she _should_ know who he is.

But again, she didn't.

013 shrugged her shoulders, and let the thought go. It wasn't all too important, and to think further on it would get her nowhere, she'd just end up running around in metaphorical circles because _du'h_ , it wasn't like thinking intensely about it would trigger any memories.

She had tried it.

It didn't work.

She just ended up with a painful headache from over-thinking, which led to her only feeling irritated, not to mention _exasperated_ , because the results were fruitless.

She isn't known to be a patient female. No, to the contrary actually - always the 'punch first, ask questions later' kind of girl.

… What? It wasn't _her_ fault that her fist had a mind of its own sometimes and decided to strike before her brain told her that that would be stupid, and idiotic, and _reckless_.

' _Bah, not like I secretly enjoy punching people anyway.'_

Her relation to the female Doc whom she was currently on her way to visit was a bit of a mystery, one that she never really understood. She loved Doc, she really did – this because she's an amazing, kick-ass woman, who always manage to humour her with her quirky ways. But to call her a _friend?_ She wasn't sure if the term ' _friends'_ accurately described their relation… But either way, they had a bond, and a strong camaraderie. Doc was quickly becoming one of her important people, and not only because she was there, taking care of her when she had just woken up – no, there were other reasons that lay behind their bond. Upon her awakening, she had quickly realized that she didn't remember who she was, or what kind of life she had. All she had known, was that there was a woman who had just entered through the doors of the Infirmary, her blonde hair twisted up into a professional bun, along with a pair of black-rimmed glasses perched on the bridge of her nose. She had immediately recognized the female, albeit she didn't remember why. Her brain had been all fuzzy and hazy during that time.

And since 013 was _013,_ she had greeted the doctor in her typical fashion, humour being one of the main ingredients in her recipe for their meet-n'-greets.

Not that it was exactly a 'meet-and-greet', but the point in general was that she was acting cheeky, which was a characteristic that stuck with her, despite her memory loss. Some things were just part of the genetic code, and that particular trait, had been one of them.

The Doc had immediately sighed after 013 had spoken, her dainty hands clutching her pad, before telling her that she wasn't living up to the stereotype of avoiding the Infirmary. Generally, marines and soldiers alike tended to, you know, _avoid_ the Infirmary - for quite the obvious reasons - however, 013 seemingly was a special case, as she apparently had been there before. Several times. Not that she any recollection of ever being there, but she dismissed it soon after hearing it, simply because she had just been told that she was suffering from two broken ribs, a swollen eye and a minor concussion.

 _And_ apparent memory loss.

That was a more important fact than being told you've been to the place several times before despite not remembering it.

Either way, Doc had been there, and taken care of her when she herself didn't understand jack-shit of what was going on, or comprehend where, or even _who,_ she was. All she had known then, was that she was 013. She didn't even know that she was a _soldier,_ a _marine._ Now however, she knew that, and she knew that she was Spartan-ODST-13. But other than that, she had yet to discover.

And it sucked, to say the least, in 013's own personal opinion.

Speaking of being a soldier... One thing that was due soon was for her to meet the Captain of the _Infinity._ She had yet to see him, even though several weeks had passed by. She was sure he knew of her situation, but was too busy to call for a meeting, having to commandeer the huge ship that was the _Infinity_ and its people.

' _Wait, hold up… What day is it today…?'_

013 momentarily stopped in her path, a frown appearing on her face as she grumbled over the date.

' _Shit, I actually have a meeting with the Captain TODAY! How the hell could I forget that he sent for me just two days ago, seriously!?'_

013 heaved a deep breath as she palmed her face.

"Great work there. I think there's a _huge_ possibility that there's permanent brain damage if my memory is this much affected."

But, despite having her meeting with the Captain today, which she had forgotten about, being the dimwit that she is, she was going to see Doc first. It was the first thing on her mental roster to complete, out of the two things on it. She missed the blonde quirky woman - their meet'n greet was much overdue.

Even though she found 013's presence sometimes aggravating.

But she knew the woman liked her too, there was always a gentle and soft look in her eyes whenever she saw her, and 013 felt warmth in her heart whenever she saw that look. She was unsure of whether or not she saw the woman as a replacement for her mother, or if she saw her as some sort of caretaker. Again, their relation was quite a mysterious one, one that simply couldn't be translated into words.

013 rolled her shoulder, the joint quirking with the movement, and she heaved a deep breath before exhaling it all. She had an elevator ride down and a couple more corners to turn before she would be at the Infirmary. Currently, she was on the upper levels of the _Infinity,_ having explored a little to kill some time. She had felt restless, and so she had decided to go on a small adventure aboard the ship. Not only that though, she felt that she had to sort through the new memories she regained - to categorize them and group them to place under specific titles. That's how her mind word at least, everything was compartmentalized, and sorted through. Much like some ancient archive, really.

The ship's corridors, which had formerly been called _'fucked up maze_ ', had now upgraded to the name _'less of a fucked up maze'_ , due to her memory recap.

013 snickered to herself at the title she had given the corridors.

No, but in truth, it had actually been called _'fucked up maze'_ when she didn't know where the hell she was going, however now it was simply called ' _Infinity_ _Nav_.' The title was self-explanatory, which meant that she could easily pull forth the stacked memories within that group to help her navigate through the _Infinity's_ corridors. It was short, and straight to the point, no complications anywhere.

She reserved the right to having called it _'fucked up maze'_ when she didn't know jack-shit, as her mind had been a jumbled mess. It still was, but now it was just _less_ of a jumbled mess, and so the term ' _Infinity Nav.'_ worked just fine.

013 passed by a couple debriefing rooms, her footfalls echoing slightly through the empty hallway. She was just about to pass by another, however as she glanced in, she immediately stopped in her tracks.

Within the room, four Spartans stood, fully decked out in armour, along with another man who bore the emblem of _Captain_ on his sleeve.

There was something _extremely_ familiar with all of them… she _recognized_ them, yet she didn't know who they were. And she certainly didn't understand _why_ she felt such a huge familiarity towards them, but she did.

Immediately, a frown swept across her facial futures, her brow furrowing and her mouth tilting in a confused downwards curve.

One of the Spartans, the one in military green, suddenly shifted his head, his orange visor directed towards her, indicating that his attention was now settled on her, and not on the Captain standing in front of him.

Whatever it was that the Captain had been saying, his words faded and died out as he, along with the other remaining Spartans, turned to look at her as well. 013 however, just stood there in her confusion, before then realizing that she was getting stared at.

By four Spartans and one Captain.

' _Uuh...'_

Her throat bobbed a little from a particularly hard swallow, the lump in her throat hindering the otherwise smooth process. Her eyes shifted over the Spartans standing within the room, although, her gaze lingered a little longer on the one decked out in military green armour, before she then finally shifted her gaze to the Captain.

Only to immediately stand at attention, saluting him, when recognizing, and also _realizing_ that _shit, he's a Captain!_

She felt her face slightly heat up at her rather embarrassing behaviour, but she fought the blush down, not wanting to show that she was feeling incredibly stupid at the moment, not to mention that she had been _very_ disrespectful for not recognizing rank and then acting according to said rank.

She was a petty officer - no, not petty officer as in title, but _petty officer_ as in she was an inconsequent, two-bit, inconsiderate marine who didn't know her shit.

But upon saluting the Captain standing within the debriefing room, her eyes picked up on something standing slightly behind him. Her eyes shifted over to his left side, and she discovered that there was a _girl_ standing there.

A _pretty blonde_ girl, to be exact. She was looking on the whole scenario with curious eyes, her green orbs glimmering in the illuminating light of the room. 013 immediately thought that the girl, despite being pretty, looked extremely out of place, her delicate frame looking as fragile as a twig – that could break at the slightest touch.

013 immediately thought, _'why the hell is a Barbie-look-a-like on this ship?'_

Because that's what the tall girl was. She looked like a model, her eyes almond-shaped, along with a pair of jutting cheekbones and full, plump lips. Her jaw was square and sharp, and her neck slender. Her collarbones were as visible as day, with milky white skin covering them. Not to mention that all her futures were supplemented by the blonde, wavy locks that framed her face.

' _There are only disadvantages with having long hair…_ ' 013 absently thought, her tactical mind already analyzing her from combat-perspective – which bore quite negative results.

But excluding that, the girl was almost a complete opposite image of her. 013 didn't have any defining futures, her eyes were formed like _normal, non-beauty-like_ humans, along with a slightly curved nose, that definitely wasn't straight like the woman's before her was, nor did she have those plump lips or defining cheekbones and sharp jaw. No, what she had, was _rounded_ cheekbones (if her non-existent cheekbones could even be _called_ that), a small mouth with relatively thin lips, which, according to _her,_ weren't _that_ thin, the bottom lip actually a little swelling and plump.

And immediately after her brain compared herself to the woman, her confused frown deepened, this time with slight irritation, simply because _why the hell_ is she comparing herself to this frail woman before her? She wouldn't survive even five seconds in combat if she was ever to be thrown into it.

She might be a beauty, her flawless complexion an added genetic benefit – but it was _just_ that, a _benefit,_ nothing else. Beauty only got one so far, there was no _strength_ in beauty. Beauty didn't kill elites, or scare off grunts. _Guns_ kill elites, and scare off grunts.

And that was what she was best at – _combat._ She knew her stuff, she knows how to handle different types of guns, their reload, its kick-off – _all of it._ She can work under pressure, and has enough muscle mass to save her teammates when the situation calls for it. _That_ is strength.

013 kept her gaze on the woman for a little longer, scrutinizing her critically, a gleam in her eyes that clearly spoke of her dislike towards the woman. She wasn't sure if the girl noticed her glare, but either way, she didn't really care if she did.

Instead, she shifted her attention back to the Captain, which was a much better sight.

"Sorry for interrupting, Sir." She said, her voice kept neutral as she spoke. She was addressing a Captain, and so any and all sass was to be eradicated whilst talking to important personnel, _especially_ Captains.

The Captain met her gaze, his eyes looking suspiciously gentle… along with a glimmer of sadness within. At the discovery, 013 felt even more confusion that she had before, as it wasn't standard behaviour of a Captain to regard _anyone_ like that.

"That's alright, soldier." He replied after a short while. 013 nodded, before shifting, and then slowly speeding up her pace, leaving the Spartans and the Captain, along with the Barbie-wannabe, to their business.

But not before glancing one last time at the military green Spartan. There was just something about him that… _drew_ her to him… like weird Cosmo-energy or something. She couldn't explain it, but his mere _presence_ had her on full alert – she was acutely aware of where he was despite not looking at him while she had talked to the Captain.

And there was this fluttery feeling erupting within her midsection… Geesh, if there was one word she would identify him by, it would be intense. Actually, he was the very _definition_ of _intense,_ as his form just _oozed_ with withheld power.

But it also oozed of complexity. That behind his armour, and within his mind, there was something amiss, something… _misplaced -_ or gone,perhaps. She wasn't entirely sure, but her sixth sense told her that this wasn't the last time she was going to see him, and she was unsure of how she wanted to accept that fact – as something negatively foreboding, or as something positive?

 **The Infirmary, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

"What's up, Doc!" 013 hollered when coming through the Infirmary's doors. The blonde doctor whom she called out to, turned her head rather abruptly towards said doors, and upon spotting 013, an exasperated expression washed over her facial futures.

"013, what have I told you about screaming when within the premises of the Infirmary, there are other patients here that need the peace and quiet, which you tend to often disturb." The blonde woman said, her hand coming up to push her glasses further up, them having sunk down when she spun around in her squeaky, but rather comfortable, chair.

"Aw, c'mon Doc, the silence is actually something soldiers and marines _don't_ like. The sound of _people_ is actually appreciated." 013 countered. Her feet steered her towards the wall close to the Doc's writing desk, and she leaned herself against it upon arriving, her feet crossing in front of her, her arms mimicking the same motion.

"Tell me, how you been? You missed me anything while I was gone?" 013 asked, her grey eyes gleaming with withheld smugness.

"No. In fact, it's been rather calming without you pestering me."

" _Ouch._ You hurt my feelings, Doc." 013 responded, her hand covering her heart, a typical gesture that Jeff usually does, and one that she nowadays has found herself adopting. The gesture itself earned her a small but stern glare, as she muttered something under her breath.

"You and Jefferson, you are both so alike. You are like each other's copies, as you have the same mannerisms. I don't know how that's even possible, you two aren't even related." Doc said, her gaze flicking between her pad and 013, before then resuming her typing, her gaze settling onto the pad lying on the writing desk.

"Well, we're natural phenomenon, I guess." 013 shrugged her shoulders, having nothing else to say about it. Sure, she and Jeff were extremely alike, but they had been that since day one. It wasn't something that surprised her anymore, nor annoyed her whenever people commented on it.

And people tended to drop their comments here and there about the two secretly being twins or something… Some had even said that they should marry each other, because they also bickered like an old married couple, to which others then would reply that it would be incest, because, _hello,_ apparently they were secret twins.

Geesh, some people just weren't right in the head, 013 had thought when first hearing the rumours.

013 breathed deeply, letting her body relax, the tension easing out of her muscles. She was feeling rather content at the moment – _relaxed,_ even. In here, at the Infirmary, she didn't have to worry about being judged, she could just be _her,_ and not suffer any consequences from it. Of course, that didn't mean she _liked_ the place, but it was a place of temporary calmness.

Well, except for the subtle complaints from Doc, but that's just who the woman was.

She always complains whenever 013 is in the vicinity, however, 013 knew that the woman didn't really mean any of it. Sure, her complaints were legitimate, as 013 is a bit of an eccentric individual, but nonetheless, Doc's complaints were never serious in the sense that they were meant to hurt.

"I would say you two are just natural annoyances." The Doc responded with, and 013 arched an amused eyebrow.

"The Doc has _humour._ I'm officially surprised."

"Don't think it is going to become a habit, 013, because it's not."

"Always with the serious attitude, what's up with that anyway? Is it like, written in your job description or something? To be a sour-face during working hours, or are you _actually_ like that all the time? Because if you are, _damn,_ I'd feel bad for anyone that is your friend or partner." At this, the blonde doctor sent a scathing look her way, and 013 smiled her trademark lopsided smile, the tips of her lips curving upwards.

"Mind you, I'm not a 'sour-face', I'm acting what others would call _professional,_ however I am not inclined to believe that you know what that term implicates."

"You're on your game today, Doc, I like this side of you – _savage,_ and all. Can't you be more like this, and less up-tight? That'd be a nice change, you know."

"You always find subtle ways to comment, or should I say, _insult,_ my behaviour. It's not that interesting, I don't know why you even dwell on it as much as you apparently do. Is it _that_ much of a stick in the eye to you?"

"Wow, 'stick in the eye', that's new. Since when did you use such an advanced form of communication? It's new terminology for ya, but luckily, I'm the _master_ ofsuch terminology. It's my main language, being fluent and all in it. Anything specific that you need help with? Perhaps, how to be sarcastic and smart at the same time? Because that's my specialty, you know."

"You mean master at being a smartass. However, no. I don't need your assistance in how to use vocabulary. What is it that you want, besides pointing out the quirks in my behaviour?" Doc asked, her gaze settling onto 013, her pad momentarily forgotten on the table-top. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and placed on her lap. 013 weaved her fingers through her ponytail, ridding the hair of its most prominent knots before replying.

"Well, nothing in particular. I've regained most of my memories of the _Infinity's_ corridors and such, so I can navigate myself without getting lost now. I have a few more memories of Jeff as well, but other than that, there's nothing else, nothing of importance, anyway." 013 mumbled that last bit out quietly, as her gaze travelled to idly stare at the ceiling. She remembered when she woke up in this room… She had found the ceiling particularly interesting, the symmetrical rectangles able to be shifted if touched. She had thought that it would be an ingenious idea to stand on a chair and push them to the side so she could crawl up through the hole and wander within.

Of course, she _still_ believes it to be an ingenious idea, but she wasn't about to stand on a chair and go through with it. That's for another time, preferably when Jeff was with her.

It's always a better adventure if someone's there to experience it with you.

And besides, she figured that Doc wouldn't be all too accepting with her randomly grabbing a chair and then shifting the _ceiling plates_ to _climb_ _into the ceiling_ and wreak havoc within the interior of the ship.

She had actually done that once already, but through the ventilation shafts. 013 chuckled quietly to herself when thinking back on that memory. She had actually gotten that memory back because of Jeff being a part of it, which was why she wanted him to be in on the second attempt of infiltrating _Infinity's_ interior. He had been once, and he would be so twice as well. Who was she to leave him out of a spontaneous bout of adventure?

The blonde doctor hummed, before shifting in her chair, spinning it back towards the desk once again. Her fingers hovered over the pad, before they were set in motion, the woman typing something down. 013 furrowed her brow in confused curiosity. What did she say that was important enough for Doc to write down?

"Did I say anything interesting?" She asked then, deciding that the only way for her to satiate her curiosity, was to ask. How else was she to get answers? It wasn't as if the human race was advanced enough to communicate telepathically, or else everything would've been much more simplified, regarding both technical-and communicative viewpoints.

Doc ignored her question, as she was solely focused on typing on her pad, and 013 heaved a heavy breath. Guess she would have to wait this one out, then.

It took over five minutes before the Doc _finally_ straightened out from her bent over position, her fingers coming to a stop. 013 had entertained herself by scanning the vicinity several times, and finding small details within the room that she hadn't noticed before.

For example, in the far off left corner, there was a painting, and it was slightly crooked. However, the motive of the painting was something extremely abstract, a whirl whorl of different colours that were forming into some sort of… weird humanoid thing?

She was _very_ unsure, and she questioned what the hell kind of culture Humanity really had. This kind of… _art,_ couldn't really be called _art._ It was so abstract, and weird, that you couldn't even make out a motive. How could that really be art? Is it up for the viewer to interpret the motive by studying the colours before arriving at a final conclusion of what the swirling colours represent? Or is just supposed to be something nice to look at, how the different colours intermingle with each other to form, well, form _something?_

Either way, 013 preferred more _structural_ art – art that had a _specific motive_ from which she could dwell on what the message or the meaning behind the painting could be.

That, or some interesting scenery, really. She wasn't too prude, but she wasn't an uncultured swine either. She had a balance between the two, being a _slightly_ uncultured swine that was _acting_ slightly like a prude.

A nice happy-go-lucky mix, right?

"Alright so, I've updated your medical records, which have been notified to the Captain. He will know of your current state before you meet up with him today, which should be in approximately…" The Doc glanced up to the clock that hung on the wall opposite the Infirmary's main doors.

"… Ten minutes. You should get going 013, being on time means late, while being early means being on time. And you know what being late means, right?" 013 arched an eyebrow, before smirking, and then jokingly rolling her eyes.

"Being late means left, yes, I know my military jargon, Doc." (Left as in leaving, not direction, haha).

And at that notion, 013 uncrossed her arms and legs, before walking towards the doors. She tilted her head, looking over her shoulder at Doc.

"See ya later, Doc, don't miss me too much!"

013 then left the vicinity, the Doc muttering something akin to _"don't come back for a good amount of while, thank you…"._

 **Upper Levels, Location; Debriefing room 005, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

013 stood within the room, patiently waiting for the Captain to arrive. Her back was turned towards the door, her eyes staring unseeingly at the steel wall opposite her.

All humoristic traces were gone, her facial futures assuming a concentrated expression. Things that were about to be discussed when he arrived were of a high level importance, and it was perhaps now that she was about to know the finer details of the life she otherwise lived, if she hadn't suffered from her memory loss. She was facing a huge opportunity of getting to know _her_ again, and not be this… this _temporary her._ It was aggravating, to say the least – to not _know_ what her life truly was. Currently, it felt like she was playing at some make-believe game, when in fact, she wasn't.

She was once again using facades to hide her conflict with herself, showing outwardly that she was handling it.

But internally, she wasn't.

She wasn't handling it as well as she wanted to believe, as well as she _should_ be. No, she was at war with herself, like a game of tug-of-war. She was tearing at herself, tearing herself down in order to find out just _who_ she was. It was a compulsory _need_ in having to find the answers, through any viable method, even though those methods weren't particularly… healthy.

However, right now, _that moment_ might just be here, and it was nothing short of _terrifying_ \- but at the same time, she felt _exhilaration_.

Exhilaration because, again, she might have everything revealed in front of her… the puzzle finally forming the bigger picture that she so desperately has been seeking out.

Her train of thought was interrupted when the creak of the door sounded, and 013 was quick to spin around to meet the Captain who had just entered.

Only for surprise to overcome her, her eyes widening upon seeing just _who_ it was that was standing in the doorway.

It was the Captain from before. And he was none other but Captain _Lasky._

' _Wow, I never would've predicted this. Although, I probably should have, I mean, he was after all a Captain… But I never thought that he would be THE Captain.'_ 013 thought to herself, as her eyes took in the person standing there.

' _So, Captain Lasky, huh. It sounds very familiar to me…'_

"Captain Lasky, sir." She saluted, her feet coming to stand tightly together, her back straightening.

"At ease, soldier, there's no need for that currently."

013 unsurely assumed standard position, her hands behind her back, and with her feet shoulder-width apart.

The Captain before her smiled a small smile, his eyes crinkling at the corners. He seemed to be a man who smiled a lot, despite being Captain, the crows' feet at his eyes a telltale sign.

"I said at ease, 013, you don't have to act as if I'm a Chairman from HQ. Now, sit down, and we'll begin this debrief." Lasky said, as he closed the door to the room, sealing the two within a private containment. The cameras were still on, however the speakers were turned off just for the purpose of the debriefing being personal.

013 approached the chair situated at the steel table, and sat down in it. Her hands remained at her sides however, and her grey eyes followed Lasky's movements as he too sat himself down.

He had a pad with him, probably so he could bring up her medical records, as Doc had said he had been notified of its update.

"Alright. You know the reason why you were called to this meeting?" Lasky started, his eyes momentarily shifting up to meet hers. 013 nodded, before verbally responding.

"Yeah… To go through my-, my situation that is at hand. Also, there was something about getting back into the loop...?"

"Yes, that's correct. I've been told you've suffered from memory loss, although it's said that it's just temporary, however there is the risk that some of it might permanently be gone." At that, 013's jaw clenched, as she was once again reminded of the severe consequences she might suffer, only because of some fight. She _still_ didn't know who the guilty perpetrators were, but if she were ever to remember or discover who they were, there was going to be _hell_ to pay…

"Getting back into the loop means that you're about to be briefed of your current position on this ship, as well as your military records. There are listed missions within, along with personal details." Before Lasky continued, he leaned forward, his arms crossed on top of the steel table's surface. His gaze intently locked with hers, and 013 subconsciously held her breath.

"I'm not going to pretend that this is going to be a walk in the park. You're going to find out information that you might not find pleasing, and it will affect you. But for the sake of trying to regain your memories again, this is necessary. Are you ready, 013?" He asked, his voice ending on a gentler note than how he had started out.

013 took a few seconds to glance down onto her lap, her mind swirling. She was given the opportunity to back out, but as that opportunity came to be, she questioned it – _why?_ Why should she back out, wasn't this what she _wanted_? To get to know who she _was?_ But then, what if the one she was, wasn't who she _wanted_ to be?

She shook her head, dismissing any and all thoughts. She wasn't going to back out, no, she was going to see this through, unpleasant or no. She steeled herself, and met Lasky's gaze with hardened confidence. She nodded, before telling him that she was ready.

"I'm ready."

And with that, the debriefing officially started. 013 was told of her position as Senior Chief Petty Officer, and she was then shown her military records.

It wasn't at all pleasant for her, just like Captain Lasky had said, as she in no way could have prepared for the content that was within it. Her mind had been twisted, pulled at, stabbed at, only to then be twisted once again upon reading the records. She was told of her involvement in an investigation that Command had initiated on the accusation of her being a possible spy for the Covenant – this because of the five year gap in her records.

The investigation and the accusation – the two culminated into becoming serious consequences for her. Consequences which she must face, despite the lack of validity of the accusation – for it was _only that, only_ an accusation, and nothing else, simply because they had no hard proof but the five year gap. But apparently, that was enough to throw one of their best marines aside, to eradicate, or actually, _eliminate_ her, for she was _also_ informed of the suicide mission which she had been sent on.

And along with that mission, she was told of the Spartans, and it went up for her as to why she recognized them. They had been there, fighting in the huge hangar of the base where she retrieved the A.I. from the Covenant.

Ah, the _A.I._ That was also one of the reasons why they were accusing her of being a spy… They actually believed that she could communicate with the A.I. – that she, in some way, had tampered with it while being on the Covenants' base, so that it wouldn't open up to them. And they wouldn't let her get close to it, because of the risk that she might further military secrets to the Covenant if she was near it.

It was absurd, really, not to mention _extremely_ far-fetched.

And because of this overflow of information, her mind being subjected to a tremendously heavy load of information which she _should have,_ but _doesn't_ have, it actually triggered a _memory recap_.

The information Lasky showed her – ultimately gave her back her memories.

 _She remembered._

Her cheeks were wet from shed tears, two thin rivulets of water still running down the damp skin, her eyes full to the brim of tears that were just about to fall over the edge.

 _Oh god, she actually remembers._

And along with the remembrance…

 _She also remembered the cause of her situation._

 _And there was about to be hell to be paid._

* * *

Dun dun _dun!_ There it is, the moment y'all have waited for. 013 gets her _memories back!_ And of course, me being _me,_ I'm just gonna end it there.

Until next time!


	16. Chapter 15 - Realigning Bonds

Yo ho, chapter 15! Been a little more over a month since I last updated, and even though I've been swamped with school, I still managed. I _prevailed._

Anyone get the reference? Where all the hardcore fans at?

Anyhow, this chapter is quite a special one, and the reason why is because it's the chapter that follows after 013 gaining her memories back. So I bet you're excited to read it. But, before I send you all away on an epic journey, I of course have to reply to my wonderful reviewers, and thank all those who favved and followed!

So, here goes!

 **Aggiefan15** \- W'ell see!

 **Dragonblade94 -** Thank you! I try to keep a consistency in 013's humor throughout the chapters, it's sort of trademark for this story. I'm glad to hear that despite it's written form, you found it interesting!

 **I be foxy the pirate** \- Aww, thank you! Makes me smile to read that! And I'm planning on it, no way is this story going to be left unfinished.

 **Guest 1** \- Haha well, here is the next part!

 **Moves of a dreamer -** How amazing that you think so, thank you! I try to update as often as I can, as it takes time to write each and every chapter. But, having people sending their gratitude and claiming the find the story great, spurs me on, and so even though I got a lot of stuff going on, I always try to find the time to write up a chapter!

 **Guest 2** \- Here's for comfort!

 **Guest 3** \- I would know, right? ;) Here's the next chapter for you to find out the answers!

 **dubbel0** \- Next chapter up, buddy!

 **Guest 4** \- Let's end that suspense shall we?

 **Brnhldrmm** \- I just did, perhaps this'll sate your cravings!

 **Guest 5** \- Read and you'll find out how he reacts!

Amazing of you guys to drop so many reviews, and telling me that you all are looking forward to my updates. Heartwarming, seriously. And as per usual, a _huge_ thank you to you guys who favved and followed, y'all rock!

One thing left - the disclaimer!

 **Disclaimer:** _Nope, still don't own Halo. But if I did, y'all would probably know before I do, hah._

Now, I think I've taken up most of your time, and your patience is running out. Be off, and go read!

* * *

 **Chapter 15 – _Realigning Bonds_**

Furious and heavy steps echoed soundly throughout the corridors of the _Infinity_ , and the people present within them quickly shuffled off to the side - opting that staying out of the way was the best course of action, lest they too ended up on the receiving end of pain.

How goes the saying… the one that stems from the earliest of centuries, speaking of wrath in its purest form...?

… Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?

Ah, yes, that's how it goes - _Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned._

And it was completely and utterly right, right in _all ways._ Hell was just around the corner, due to arrive within the spawn of a just a few meek seconds. The swirling anger within the small frame of the girl- no, _woman,_ who currently was storming down the last corridor, barely held _anything_ in comparison to the _hatred_ that she felt within, every nerve within her body twitching.

It was a deadly combination to have contained, anger and hatred that is, and at the very moment it was burning like a fire let loose - _an inferno._ They clashed against the barely upheld wall of restraint within her, it waning by the second, tearing at its structure, wanting to bring it down to tiny itty-bitty pieces. After her debrief with Lasky, she had been quick to _, tensely so,_ ask the Captain where the ODSTs currently were residing, and, even though Lasky fully knew of her intentions, he had told her anyway.

Not because it was the _right_ thing to do, but because he too wanted to see justice be served. He knew he was most likely breaking regulations by giving away their location, however it was all justified as the UNSC's Code of Conduct held more value than their regulations. And so he simply informed her of their whereabouts, before leaving the room himself.

He was sure that whatever the result would be, he would have to deal with it, but currently, it wasn't his fight.

He heaved a deep sigh, and clasped his hands behind his back, before shifting his eyes to the surveillance cameras, silently watching 013's deadly approach towards the gym.

 **The Gym, location; Lower Levels, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

The slam of the doors violently swinging open ended all chatter within the room, just as quick as if someone pressed down on a mute button. The form of a female blocking the entrance had now grabbed a hold of each and every present individual's attention, several pairs of eyes trained upon her. From her point of view, she discerned the wide breadth of emotion that highlighted their eyes; it varied from surprise to shock to confusion… and to her glee, to fear and _terror_ as well.

And she knew why those last two emotions were very much present – who _wouldn't_ be on the verge of shitting their pants when a hybrid soldier of both Spartan-and ODST augmentations was standing there, orbs glazing with anger and hatred _combined._ And it was clear as anything that she was looking for specific targets, her eyes nothing short of predatory.

It didn't take long before she found them - standing far back in the gym by the punching bags.

Her chest heaved from breathing in a particular heavy breath, the air being trapped within her lungs for a few seconds, as her eyes narrowed into slits. Letting out a rush of air, she took a step forward, her foot colliding soundly with the flooring of the gym, the sounds echoing within the whole vicinity. It was indescribable… of how she felt at the current moment. All she could think, all that occupied her mind, was that she needed to serve _justice_ \- she needed to _act_ in accordance of punishing those responsible for what her life had been for the past month. What she needed, was _revenge._

What they had done, what they had _caused,_ was nothing short of being _despicable._ That they… That _they_ had caused a trauma for her, one which she on no terms ever deserved, just because they had gotten their pride wounded. All because they felt the need to prove her wrong, to trample on _her_ pride, the consequences became much more severe.

And she was sure that they in some way meant for her to be hurt as severely as she had been. That she would receive memory loss, was perhaps not in their plan, but it was a very likely possibility when ganging up two on one and then deliver punches without restraint, while, _ironically, restraining_ the one who was on the receiving end of said punches.

And now, having regained every piece of memory that she had had beforehand, did the realization of how serious her injuries had been, because of some _petty reasons,_ sink in. Hence, she had _all_ right to feel as betrayed and angry as she felt at the moment. A heavy pressure had settled onto her chest and shoulders, weighing down on her like big-sized rocks.

She called out to them then, wanting to gain their attention so that they would _clearly understand_ that they were in for a visit through hell and back, because _oh,_ did she have _plans._

" _You four - Oooh, you are_ _ **all**_ _dead!"_ Her voice rang out loud and clear, and upon seeing the minimalistic twitch coming from one of the henchmen, the corner of her mouth slightly curved upwards. She picked up pace, eyes locking onto them. Her feet were quickly closing the gap between them, and upon seeing the distance shrinking, she could almost _taste_ the exhilaration and adrenaline that was running through her veins - for what was to come… was sweet, sweet _vengeance._

But.

 _But._

She barely got halfway across the hall when something suddenly came to stand in her way, stopping her from advancing any further. At the unpredicted hindrance, her eyes briefly held surprise, before they once again went ablaze, this time with agitation added to the mix. Her gaze immediately shifted up to tell whoever it was that had dared to stand in her way to _move the fuck away_ , but the words died on her lips when she discovered just _who_ was standing there.

It was _Kelly,_ Spartan-087.

Her stormy orbs momentarily lost their spark, the anger no longer as vivid as she looked up at the woman.

"What are you planning on doing?" The blue-clad Spartan asked, her armor as per usual present on her body, however her helmet lying discarded on the bench that she had previously been sitting on.

"Serve vengeance on a silver platter, why of course." 013 replied, her tone sounding as if she was talking about the weather – only with vehemence dripping off of every word.

"Vengeance for what?" The woman further asked. Unlike 013, Kelly's voice kept its unenthusiastic tune, never once giving way for what she perhaps thought of 013's scheme.

"Vengeance for them having caused me to _lose my memory."_

At that, Kelly slowly lowered her arm, which had been raised to keep 013 from advancing, while her gaze slightly widened upon hearing the news of 013's apparent memory loss. None of the Spartans had been informed of her health status… And so she had been unprepared upon hearing the acclamation.

' _It explains quite a lot…'_

She regarded the girl standing before her, ignoring the height difference between them.

Her body was tense, that she could clearly tell, however, it wasn't what worried her the most. No, 013's face bore a mask of someone that had just gotten a knife driven through their back, and from experience, she knew that having one's mind clouded by betrayal and its accomplices hate and anger… It gave no room for logical thinking. Because of this, Kelly concluded that currently, 013 wasn't at all in the right state of mind to make thought-out decisions.

Which was what motivated her to reply in the way she did.

"Let me take care of this."

Upon hearing those words however, 013's eyes had widened, disbelief filling them, before they narrowed.

" _What?_ No,this is _my_ fight. _I'm_ the one who's going to _fuck them up_ for having done what they did to me!"

The Spartan knew that her words wouldn't be taken well, and so she had already formulated an answer that would perhaps cool the girl down, enough to not join in on the fight once it started. For a fight _will_ take place, just, with a different opponent.

"You aren't the only one who is going to suffer from the consequences of starting this fight, Captain Lasky's reputation lay together with yours. It's not advised to risk getting him into trouble, especially not when you yourself are facing possible court martial. So let me handle this."

With that, Kelly gently but firmly pushed 013 off to the side, dismissing the conversation, calling it to an end. And all the girl did, was follow along with the movement, her body shifting on its own accordance, not an ounce of persistence hindering the process. She literally moved like someone would blow a string of hair out of their face, with ease and zero resistance but the laws of gravity.

Kelly slowly approached the ODST gang huddled in the corner, their focus having shifted off of 013 and onto her approaching form. Kelly inwardly smiled a satisfied smile upon noticing their facial expressions. She was sure that after she had swept the mat with them, none would keep the same expression intact.

And that was a promise.

The leader of the group, naturally, sported his typical smug half-smirk, believing it to be along the lines of sexy, however, Kelly personally thought he only came across looking like a sexual predator. His two accomplices, or _henchmen rather,_ held more guarded expressions, but it shone through that they too were gleeful.

' _Not for long, boys.'_

There was one however, that stood out from the rest of the group, and it was evident that he felt afraid, as it was showcased on his face like a monument encased at a museum for everyone to look upon. His eyes shone of outright terror, and his body language told her that at any second, he'll spin on his heel and hightail it out of there. And because of him being so different from his… ' _peers',_ Kelly knew that he would not be part of this fight. Not only because of his state of being, but because she knew within that he most likely got pressured by the rest of the group. He was the misfit that did everyone's bidding, if only to have somewhere to belong. Which in and on itself, was just a sad truth.

For him – only words would do. However, they would not come from her, but from 013. This was as far as her involvement will go in this matter. After all, it was technically not even her fight, but to better the odds, and perhaps as an obligation to the girl, did she feel the need to assist. She had proven herself enough times that she was capable, but to minimize the risks, especially for the Captain, was her decision upon taking over the fight a rightful one.

The other remaining three of the group however, were not going to be shown the same mercy that their fourth companion would be shown, if any at _all._ They were deserving of this, through and through.

As she came to a stop before them, her boots clanking soundly, her calculating eyes steadily looked them all over, meeting their gazes one by one. She cocked her hip then, and crossed her arm in front of her, tilting her head to the side. A vibe of aloofness oozed off of her form.

"Ladies, don't you know that picking on someone smaller than you never results in positive consequences?"

Merely seconds after she had spoken, did the leader narrow his eyes, his face twisting into an ugly grimace, which, _thankfully,_ wiped his smug sneer off.

"What the _fuck_ , bitch? We aren't ladies, that'd be _you_. Why the hell are you here anyway? I thought that little abomination would want to have another fight?"

Kelly inwardly sighed at the apparent idiocy of the ODST before her. She was already tired of dealing with him, and she hadn't even been standing there for a minute. She gestured with her arm towards them, before replying.

"I'm here because you chose to mess with the wrong girl. We've warned you in the past, within this very same room actually, that you are to stay away. It is obvious that you didn't, and so the consequences are all your own."

And with that, Kelly moved - sending a swift punch right in the gut of the leader and he went careening, hitting the floor roughly. She had had enough of the idleness. She was quick to duck when the inevitable punches of his _henchmen_ came, before sending another one flying, her foot connecting with his back. The other followed in much similar fashion, however not before having his arm jerked behind his back, before Kelly kicked him away.

Just then, the leader came back, his fist swinging, which actually managed to land on her.

But only because she let him.

Punching Spartan armor wouldn't exactly be in your favour, as it does more damage to you than it does to the owner. And so there would definitely be a case of one broken hand for the Doc at the Infirmary to write down.

And she'll most likely be happy that for once, it wouldn't be 013.

While the fight went down between Kelly and the ODST-gang, two other Spartans, namely Frederic and Linda, approached 013 – who was _still_ standing where Kelly had moved her off to. She was idly watching the blue Spartan fight, almost as if stuck in a trance-like state, however when a hand abruptly landed on her shoulder did her conscience return. Twitching in surprise, 013's gaze snapped up to whoever had startled her.

Her orbs landed on the tall form of Frederic, and upon seeing him, her lips formed a small smile. More than that she couldn't conjure up, she was too tense, too overwhelmed, by the internal war currently going on within her. She was frustrated – frustrated because _she wasn't over there, fighting them when she should be,_ but also frustrated because she didn't know what it meant that Kelly stuck up for her.

How was she supposed to make sense of it? Was she seen as part of their Spartan-family now, as one of their own? Or was it just a friendly gesture, a friend lending a helping hand?

Perhaps she was just someone they felt a need to protect – that doesn't make her becoming part of them and their group.

But then… Maybe it did? If they felt a need to protect her, that itself could mean she was seen as someone they wanted along with them?

Hence, why she felt such frustration within. Not to mention that the anger and hatred was still very much present. Some of it had dispersed over the course of time, but most of it still remained. Adding to the ever brewing pot of emotions, she also felt a slight degree of relief, which was acting like holy sanctum ground – a place of momentary peace within the chaos surrounding it. She felt relief over the fact that Kelly stopped her from acting rashly, and thus avoiding jeopardizing Lasky. The promise she made to him… She had almost broken it, almost just _thrown away_ his generosity, spitting disloyalty in his face. He had stood up for her when no else did, taking on a burden and responsibility that would affect him too if she were to become too much of a pest.

' _That I almost let Lasky down…'_

She had learned a valuable lesson then, as it was an eye-opening moment of just _how_ _blinding_ anger and hatred could be. Before, she had thought she would never fall in such a _'stupid'_ trap of falling under the spell of those emotions, yet here she was, doing _exactly that._ She promised to herself this time, that never again was she going to let such emotions overtake her without _her_ being the one in control.

' _Never again.'_

There was one other thing which she was pensive of… and it was the fact that _Kelly knew_ of their agreement – without her even having mentioned it to her, or _any_ of the Spartans for that matter.

' _So, how did she know?'_

013 heaved a particularly heavy sigh. Perhaps it was better when she had memory loss, at least then she didn't have all this weight weighing her shoulders down like she was carrying the world on top of them. The world was shit anyway, the people within it acting just like the lil' testosterone- _fuck_ who was currently getting his ass wiped by Kelly. If that's the type of crappy quality she has to bear, then she was having a hard time finding the proficiencies of doing so. She had been blissful in her ignorance, and it had caught her a much needed break from her shitstorm of a life.

Well, in a sense anyway. It wasn't exactly the _most optimal_ way to give herself a break, but it was the card she had been dealt - and to say that it wasn't appreciated, at least _a little_ , would be called lying. She appreciated it, just as she utterly hated it.

"You alright there, Tutes?" Came Frederic's voice, spoken in soft tunes, successfully bringing her out of her reverie. She shifted her gaze to meet the gentle eyes of the Spartan standing in front of her, exhaling softly.

"Not really, but I'm doing better. I feel like I'm supposed to be the one over there, smashing their ugly mugs in, but Kelly advised me against it. Wouldn't be good for me because of possible court martial and all, you know." She replied with, her shoulders shrugging lightly. 013 unclenched her apparently formed fists upon noticing slight pain coming from where her nails had been digging into her skin. She hadn't noticed she had been doing so. Her eyes shifted over to watch the fight once again, this time she was keen on _not_ digging her fingernails into the palms of her hands. Once was enough, she was no masochist. Well, not _too much_ of a masochist, rather.

"Well, she was right about that..." Frederic distantly commented, as he too glanced over towards the fight. However, his gaze soon returned to look down at the girl before him, and the grip he had on her shoulder tightened.

"What's going on here, Tutes? These last couple of weeks… You haven't been you."

She knew that question would come, it _always_ did. No matter how much time, or how little, the question of why will always be brought up. And even though she had somewhat prepared herself for it, it didn't make it any easier to answer. In fact, it almost made it _harder,_ because she _knew_ she had to explain to him what had happened to her. So with a deep sigh, she replied.

"Long story short, those _fuckbags_ over there decided they wanted to air their testosterone and have a pissing contest with me, which ended up with me landing myself in the Infirmary for the umpteenth time. And with a nice, long list of injuries to add. Let's see… Ah, a swollen eye, two broken ribs, a minor concussion, and-"the very last part of that sentence died on her lips, as she almost choked on her words.

"-And memory loss." She ended slowly, her grey orbs shifting to look up at him.

Frederic was regarding her with an unknown look in his eye, and 013 swallowed carefully. She wasn't sure what kind of response she would get from him, not sure _at all._

"… I'll be right back, Tutes." He then said, before turning around, leaving her standing there, alone, once again. But before he headed off in his direction, he glanced over his shoulder towards her. Or more specifically, towards the person standing _behind_ her.

"Linda." The woman only grunted, following after him when he moved. Not before her own hand landed on 013's shoulder however, the woman looking at her.

"We're just gonna take care of some business first, then we'll come back and join ya." And with that, Linda was off, heading straight for the ODSTs that were making a poor attempt at fighting Kelly.

013 almost giggled giddily at the thought of them now having to deal with _three_ Spartans.

They were definitely in for some serious ass-kicking.

The lack of one specific Spartan had 013's mind wondering where he was, as the last time she had seen him, was when he had stood with his team with Captain Lasky, and some strange, unknown blonde woman…

She ignored the zing of pain that spread through her left chest cavity upon that thought.

 **Time skip –**

The ODSTs definitely got their asses kicked – _right_ into the Infirmary.

It was kind of ironic, really, how they themselves ended up there, just like she had. They hadn't been too roughed up, not like _she_ had been, but she knew there were at least two cases of broken bones. And _that_ fact made her happy. The thing was though… that there was _one_ guy from their group that the Spartans hadn't went for, instead, they had had a little chat with him after sweeping the mat with his 'buddies'. She didn't know what they had said, and she still didn't, but nonetheless, the guy had walked away without a single hair out of place.

It was also the same guy, she realized later on, who she had asked for directions to the restroom when she was stuck with memory loss. It was no wonder that he had looked ready to piss his pants, he _knew_ he had partly been the cause of her suffering.

She felt conflicted of whether or not she wanted to inflict pain on him, for having been a participant, but some unknown source, or rather, a voice of _reason,_ told her that he wouldn't need a fisticuff reprimand from anyone – he had learnt his lesson upon seeing the consequences of his actions.

It was also upon yesterday that it had dawned on her – Master Chief had been wrong.

He once told her that they wouldn't come onto her, because she was with them – but they _had._ They _had_ come, and they had been _ruthless._ She had been forced to face them alone, something that had actually had her very unnerved. Simply because they were _four,_ and she was only one. She had mistrusted… And look where it got her.

It had turned out the way she had feared it would. If it was anything that she would cleanly admit she was afraid of, it was being left alone to deal with them. She knew that one day she would have to face them alone – but _this_ early on? She hadn't expected it, as she thought she would have a whole lot more days to prepare herself for _that_ day.

But she never got that time, and it taught her – be prepared for _anything,_ no matter the probability.

' _Never again.'_

The trust she had for the Chief… It was now fragile, fragile as ice. She didn't know if she could trust him, even with the smallest of things. It was all just so complicated… Her relation with the Chief… _Did she even have a relation to him anymore?_

She _had_ told him that his promise meant no more… and that their relation was more or less over. _Whatever relation they had had with each other._

After their argument – shit had hit the fan, because the ODSTs knew that he wasn't there anymore to back her up. They cornered her at the perfect time, really. But… had it really been the Chief's fault? Sure, they had argued and all, but she could've come straight up to him, after she cooled off, to solve the issue.

However, she hadn't. She had been too narrow-minded, too chained to her belief that she was right. The blame was also hers, not just the Chief's.

Her stomach churned, and she heaved a breath. She needed to resolve whatever it was that was going on between them, it wasn't healthy to keep it up – _obviously_ , because it had caused memory loss and all, that sure wasn't what one would call _healthy._

' _I need to find him…'_

And with that thought in mind, her feet steered her towards the most likely place where he might be.

The gym.

Upon pushing the doors open to the gym hall, she scanned the vicinity, trying to either look for his MJOLNIR-armor or a mop of brown hair on top of a hunky body that she wouldn't mind dragging her hands along-

' _N_ o, _that's extremely inappropriate! 013, snap out of it!'_

She mentally shook her head to dismiss her train of thought, as it wasn't the _right time_ to think of such things. Not that it really ever was – she wasn't a pervert.

Except for when Jeff was nearby, then it was _game on_ with sexual innuendos. It was kind of their thing, to always draw parallels to all things sexual. She didn't know why or how it had started, but one day, she and Jeff found themselves throwing sexual innuendos around, and it was now one of the best things she knew when it came to Jeff – she could say whatever, and he wouldn't judge.

Most times, at least. It was never guaranteed that Jeff wouldn't judge her, hell, he usually does it on purpose just to try make her feel bad.

Not that he succeeded so often, most times she just arched her eyebrow and sent him her typical lopsided smile, and playing stupid – if she didn't _'know'_ she was in the wrong, or being too ' _extreme'_ then there's nothing to feel guilty about.

It was all perfect logic.

Anyhow, back to finding the hunky-no, the _Chief._

"C'mon Chief, where you at, buddy…" She whispered to herself as her eyes tried to find the alluding Spartan.

"He shouldn't be this hard to find, I mean, he's a _six foot tall walking-and talking building with a-hella lot of muscles._ Just _how_ does a building like that go missing, it shouldn't' _be possible_!" 013 whisper-yelled to herself, simply because she couldn't find said _building_ within the vicinity of the gym – he was just _gone, poof._

"You trying to find the Chief, Tutes? Then you're looking in the wrong place, he's up on Command Deck, talking with Captain Lasky." Came a sudden voice to her left. 013 snapped her head towards the location of the disembodied voice to connect it to its owner - only having to crane her neck higher up because she was met with a buff chest.

"Thanks for pushing your man-tits into my face, Frederic, that was definitely what I wanted to see." Was the first thing 013 replied with, her eyes gaining that typical mischievous spark within them.

"Can't help that you're so short, Tutes." Frederic smiled down at her, his own eyes twinkling with humour.

"Oh ha-ha, insult the hobbit would ya? I was born like this, you know, I can't exactly _change_ my genetics."

"Technically you can, I'm a walking proof of that being possible. But, I rather like the way you described it, what were the words you used…"Frederic struck a convincingly thoughtful expression, arms rising to his midriff, where one stayed at his waist and the other perched on top of its company on, his fingers gripping his chin – all to play in whatever joke he had conjured up. For she was sure he was going to pull some sort of one-liner on her.

"Ah, that's right," he said then, snapping his fingers.

It went along the lines of "a _six foot tall walking-and talking building with a-hella lot of muscles"._ Correct?" The Spartan quoted her _exact_ words that she had spoken not only one minute ago. And to add insult to injury, Frederic's lips twitched, as if they wanted to form into a _shit-eating_ grin, for he was visibly _radiating_ how much fun he was having at the moment. At _her_ expanse.

However, the reaction he received was not one he had anticipated, for before he stood a _blushing 013._

Her face was downcast, but he could still clearly see the red blush that was adorning her cheeks. He arched an eyebrow in amusement, and his lips curved upwards.

"Aw, that's probably the cutest thing I've seen you do yet. Why are you blushin', Tutes?"

"Oh, no particular reason… Just that you _quoted my words where I say "a-hella lot of muscles"_ and referring to the _Chief!_ I sound like some, I don't know _, rapist_ on a mission to molest him!" 013 quoted expressively in the air, her fingers curling and straightening at the motion. After she had spoken, she received no reply, however just a few seconds later, did the Spartan before her let loose a booming laughter – one that echoed throughout the vicinity. A few marines within the gym turned their heads in curiosity, before returning to what they had previously been doing once they found the source of the loud laughing. They did _not_ want to be caught staring at a _Spartan_. Who knew what the repercussions would be.

"Now that's what I call being creative. I don't understand how you do it, every time. How do you come up with it all?"

The rather genuine question had 013 arching her own eyebrow, a questioning expression overtaking her facial futures. The blush on her cheeks had fully receded, and she stared at Frederic in thought, before shrugging.

"To be honest, I really don't know. I've always been doing it, since day one, so I guess it's something my brain's gotten used to. It just sorta thinks up words on the spot automatically." 013 replied. Frederic hummed, and then nodded.

"Understandable. It's a habit that's developed over time, I have my fair share of those, I believe."

"Oh, you do? And what might those be?" Upon hearing him mentioning habits, and even stating that he _himself_ has habits, gave her a moment of realization. Up until now, she had sort of believed that Spartans didn't in _habit_ any habits (pun intended) - not that she had given it much thought to begin with, but either way, it was somehow a little surprising.

' _Huh, would you look at that, they do act like humans after all.'_ 013 joked silently to herself. She knew they weren't machines, _obviously,_ and them having habits only added to their existent humanity.

"I never said that I would count 'em up for you, girl."

"Ah but _c'mon!_ " 013 was quick to protest, as she pointed out the unfairness of his words.

"You know one of mine, the least you could do is at least to share _one_ of your habits! I'm curious about you guys, the ' _badass Spartans_ '. Who knows, you might have habits that differ from the norm when it comes to other soldiers? Since you've all been augmented and gone through rigorous training schemes and all. Those are factors that might've affected your affinity to develop habits."

013's attempt at using science as a convincing argument had Frederic slanting his eyes, a gentle gleam shimmering in his orbs, as a smile was very much present upon his lips. 013 was unknowingly being cute, and he couldn't help but think that she, in some way, reminded him of how a little sister would act.

"Alright, a favour for a favour, that's fair. One of the habits that I've always had, is that I, when opportunity arises, I tuck myself tightly under the covers so things can't get to me. Since I was a kid I've always sort of believed that if none of my limbs were visible or simply lying under the cover of my blanket, nothing would take 'em from me. I still do it sometimes."

"That he does, I've seen it first-hand." Came another voice from behind the two, and both 013 and Frederic shifted to greet Linda to their little group.

"Must've been a pretty sight then, I bet. Did you take any pictures?" 013 was quick to hop onto the figurative train of Linda's comment, fueling it further, which actually caused Frederic to become a little _flustered._

' _I didn't know that was even possible for a Spartan, but damn, they actually CAN be embarrassed!'_ 013 quietly noted to herself, all the while trying to maintain a straight face and not burst out laughing. It seemed she was learning quite the bit about Spartans today.

"I do, actually." Linda replied, her usual stony face shifting the slightest to a somewhat amused look. As close to amused she could get anyway.

"You gotta show me them sometime then, seriously."

"Show her what?" Another voice joined in onto the conversation, the distinguished and familiar female voice belonging to none other but Kelly.

"Show her the pictures I've taken of Frederic snuggling under his blanket when he thinks no one sees." Linda responded gruffly, her shoulders shrugging in an aloof manner. Kelly's lips curved upwards upon hearing the suggestion, and she cocked her hip to the side, all the while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"You better include me when you show them to her, I don't think I've ever seen them, although I _have_ seen Fred here snuggle with his blanket. It's quite amusing."

"… I won't get to live that down, will I."

"No."

"Nope."

"Never."

"Well, shit then."

"You're doomed, lover-boy."

"What's up with the new nickname, Tutes?"

"Hm? Oh, you mean lover-boy? I don't know, you kinda look like the type of guy who would fit that nickname. Wanna know how I know? I didn't feel like puking when I called you it, which is kind of a positive sign. Right?"

"That's wonderful, that nicknaming me doesn't have you spilling your guts all over the floor, babycakes."

"Babycakes, huh? … I can deal with that. And my pleasure, or perhaps… _your pleasure._ "

013 suggestively waggled her eyebrows at Frederic, to which both Linda and Kelly chuckled with amusement.

"She sure does know how to humour us, Fred."

"That she does." The Spartan agreed, his arm coming up to wrap around 013's shoulders. He glanced down at her, his sparkling green eyes still alight with entertainment.

"So, you were looking for the Chief. He should still be on Command Deck, and if not, check his dorm. If he isn't there, then you'll probably find him in the mess later, because he'll be with us."

013 nodded slowly, her eyes shifting down to glance at the floor. She idly swept her gaze over the amount of surface visible in her sight, as she thought on _how_ and _what_ she should say to him once she saw him.

Using "I'm sorry", as an opening phrase didn't sit right with her, and not because it would insinuate that _she_ was the only one to blame, but also because she most likely had to explain to him what he had done wrong… She was almost certain that he actually didn't see fault in asking her such a private question, and no more than _blatantly_ state that she was hiding things from him. Of course, she _was_ hiding things about herself, but that didn't mean that she wasn't willing to tell if asked, _genuinely._ No, no, instead he had to go straight to the point without a single thought on how it might affect the other individual receiving the question.

' _Ugh, men.'_

She followed the path up to Command, her feet automatically steering her in the right direction to get her to where she wanted to be. As she entered through the doorway, one of the assistants momentarily stopped to glance at her, and 013 curiously lifted an eyebrow.

"Do you want something?" 013 asked the still staring girl. Just after she had spoken, the girl quickly shook her head and mumbled a quiet ' _sorry!'_ before continuing on her way.

' _Well that was weird.'_

Opting to shrug off the girl's weird staring at her, 013 continued forward, rounding the corner. Green armor filled her sights as she stepped further into the room, and she immediately called out to the owner.

"Chie-" However, she never completed her sentence, as another person showed up in her sights.

It was the blonde girl from before. 013 immediately tensed up, becoming uneasy. It was something about that girl that she just didn't like… and it wasn't only her outer appearance that counted into the equation.

"Uh… Am I interrupting something?" 013 then asked, feeling that she had to break the veil of silence. The blonde girl standing opposite the Chief, and next to Lasky, shifted her gaze to her, her orbs filled with surprise.

"Oh, hi there!"

Before 013 could register _what_ the woman had said, her mind first picked up how disgustingly _sweet_ her voice sounded like. That, or it was the equivalent of someone dragging their fingernails across a blackboard. Either comparison, it simply sounded _awful._

"I don't think we've met properly, although I have seen you around. I'm Stacey!" The woman named _'Stacey'_ approached her and reached forward with her hand, which for the record was perfectly manicured, the nails shining in the lighting from above. The pink, glittery hues almost had 013 wishing she was blind.

Perhaps that was a slight exaggeration - but point being, the woman's manicured hands irritated her sight. Just like the general image, or even _presence,_ of her did.

' _Nope, don't like her.'_

"… Hi. I'm 013." 013 said rather apprehensively, her gaze becoming neutral. If she showed no emotion, the woman would most likely lose interest in her. She grasped her dainty hand, and immediately upon contact, did she think that instead of holding an _actual_ human hand, it felt like she was holding some fragile object, that would break at the slightest of pressure.

"Pleasure to meet you!" _'Stacey'_ exclaimed, shaking her hand vigorously before letting go and taking a step back. She looked up to the Chief, who was now standing just right beside her, before returning her gaze to 013. It went unnoticed of how the Chief had shifted slightly in his stance when his orange visor turned to 013.

"You might be wondering what I'm doing here. I'm the Blue Team's ONI Agent. I've been assigned to assist them during their duration here."

' _Oh, is that right…'_ 013 sarcastically replied within her mind. However, instead of voicing her true opinion about the woman, 013 decided to play along. And why not be dramatic about it meanwhile? If anything, it'd only provide a little entertainment.

"Oh, okay! That's _great_ to hear! It'll be fun to see you around, however I have to steal the Chief here away for a moment! Hope you don't _mind._ " 013 was sure to accentuate the last word, hoping that it would cause the woman's façade to drop. For she was sure the woman wasn't _always_ this cheery. But if she was…

' _I feel sorry for those having to be in her company, including myself.'_

Whether or not _'Stacey'_ picked up on her hidden warning, she didn't really care too much. Instead, she was busy dragging a _Spartan_ after her. And it wasn't just any Spartan that she was dragging, it was _the Spartan,_ Master Chief _himself_. Who knew she'd be one to drag him away, of all people?

Fate sure has its peculiar ways to entertain itself.

Just as she rounded the corner, she stopped, and then turned and lifted her gaze to meet the orange visor of the Chief, who stood behind her, having come to a halt at the same time of 013. For a few seconds, nothing was said between them, just silence permeating the air, excluding the distant clanking of footsteps and low-key conversations going on in the background. 013 was staring just below the edge of the Chief's visor, her eyes glazing over as she fervently tried to think up of a good ice-breaker for the inevitable conversation between the two of them. Her jaw tensed, before it unwounded, only to repeat the process all over again. Seconds ticked by, before 013 finally heaved a breath, letting the air out in a slow sigh.

' _Here goes nothing.'_

"Ah… Right. Uh, where do I start?" She muttered quietly to herself, her hand subconsciously still holding onto the Chief, even though the two had come to a stop quite a while ago. It was her body's way of reassuring her, providing her with a physical type of reassurance, in the form of the Chief. The warmth radiating from his bodysuit sunk into 013's own body, her skin absorbing the heat quickly. It soothed her nerves, and 013 let out another breath of air, before continuing where she had left off.

"Alright, okay. So… Last time we spoke, it didn't end on the most positive note…"

The Chief remained silent, despite her consistent pausing.

"After our, uh, _fight_ … The ODSTs saw the perfect opportunity to approach me. They probably figured that now that you were out of the picture, they had the perfect opportunity to corner me without facing any direct consequences, as we sort of had a… _pause,_ from each other, or whatever."

013 swallowed down the lump forming in her throat. It was nerve-wracking to say the least, telling him the story. Not only because it was unpleasant having to think about it, but also because she was completely clueless to how he will react. She really didn't know what she should expect, if she should expect anything at _all._

"They cornered me, and baited me to a sparring match, two on one, two rounds. I thought they'd follow the rules of a sparring match but… They didn't. Things are a little blurry, and I don't remember everything, but what I _do_ remember, is that their leader ordered his jockeys to keep me still, as he sent punch after punch into my gut while holding some monologue of how great his payback felt."

013 scratched the back of her neck, and turned her back to the Chief, not wanting to look up into the void, emotionless visor any longer. What she'd see, would only be a reflection of herself as she stood there before him, spilling her guts out and apologizing.

"After that… I woke up in the Infirmary, with a swollen eye, two cracked ribs, a minor concussion and… ah… _memoryloss._ " 013 breathed the last injury on her list out quickly, her words merging together, making it difficult to distinguish what exactly she had said. Why she even did so… Well, she was torn between wanting him to know of her memory loss or just let him be in the dark. Most likely, he thought she was normal the whole time, _willingly_ ignoring him, meanwhile she was actually stuck in a surreal world, trying to regain her memories of her current life.

Hell, she thought he had been her _husband_ while suffering from memory loss! The dream she had had of him… Holding her, spinning her around… A painful throb of her heart caused her breath to hitch, the unexpected pain twisting and pulling at her heartstrings.

Why do feelings have to be so… _painful_ all the time? Too much happiness, too much sorrow, and too much optimism – it all hurt in overly large doses and 013 couldn't for the life of her understand why. And how the hell can her _heart_ hurt when emotions supposedly are existent within her mind?!

' _All these deep, damn questions… I'm no psychologist, godamn!'_

013 let her shoulders slump then, her internal battle depleting her energy. Why should she care if she was showing weakness to the Chief? How would that affect her? Having to keep the constant façade of never-ending strength and determination? No one manages to do that, not without total collapse at the end of the line. She had now reached hers, she was at the end of _her_ line.

She shifted her head, glancing over her shoulder to stare off to the side, idly watching the assistants pace by. Some gave them, the Chief and her, peculiar glances, but were quick to subtract their gazes upon seeing 013's frowning face. However, she wasn't frowning at them - no, she was frowning at _herself_.

"I…, I suffered from memory loss up until a couple days ago. Being in that state… Having no memories… I understand you probably thought I was still pissed at you, still _mad_. But that's not true. I didn't remember you, didn't remember the _Infinity,_ or even Doc… I didn't remember _anything…_ " Her voice cracked, and 013 felt her eyes tear up.

The realization of what she had been put through was finally getting to her. She was fully realizing how _severe_ her memory loss had been, and had she not regained her memories… She didn't even want to think further upon that prospect.

Her body tensed up, and the floodgates of her mind were forced open, all and any thoughts running rampant through her brain cells.

She had forgotten Lasky, she had forgotten Jeff, she had forgotten _the Chief… and she had forgotten herself._

' _It really happened…'_

It had been so much easier living in that blissful ignorance, that calm before the storm so to speak, the first few days of having her memories back full of joy. Only for that to crash and burn as the severity hits, and she comes to an understanding of just how dangerously close she had been to losing just about everything.

It put a new perspective in her life. That perhaps, holding grudges like the one she had against the Chief were just petty when thought about. Sure, he had done wrong by digging too close to home, but he was a soldier. Soldiers and marines – they were always brutally honest. If they have something to ask, they ask. There exists no hesitation, only the do's and the don'ts.

The sudden arm wrapping around her midsection brought her out of her destructive state, and 013's eyes widened quite a bit, when suddenly feeling her body being pulled backwards, before she was pressed against a hard, armored chest.

' _What...?'_

"Chie-"

"Don't."

"Don't wha-"

"Don't ask questions."

Upon hearing his brusque words, she let them sink in, before fully letting her body relax. A wave of tiredness came crashing over her, and she slumped further into the Chief's embrace. Her eyes closed shut, and her breathing slowly evened out. She felt the Chief's hand tighten his grip around her midsection, as if he wanted to reassure her – reassure her that things are going to be okay. That it was going to be _alright._

' _He's acting so odd…'_

But she wasn't one to question it, nor question _him._ In fact, she felt warmth bloom inside her chest that the Chief had freely initiated contact with her in this particular way. And it felt as if it had some other meaning… it didn't feel like just a friendly gesture, like something platonic. Perhaps…

A small smile curved the tips of her lips upwards, and 013 let out a content sigh. She wanted to enjoy it as much as possible, as the moment would most likely come to an end all too soon.

* * *

So there you have it! I'm actually curious now, of what you all think. Did it turn out the way you expected? Did you like it, or did you dislike it? Tell me!

I also have a small question for you guys. Who do you think is saying what phrase when Frederic asks whether or not he'll ever live down that little habit of his? Tell me who you think said what (meaning who says no, nope and never)! Because I'm just curious like that, deal with it.

P.S. _Ther_ _e is no cliffhanger this time. Amazing, right?_


	17. Chapter 16 - Troublesome Signs

Not even a month later I bring you all a chapter update! Exciting shit, I know. This chapter is quite short, but it's better than nothing right? And once you read this, you might find yourselves seeing that not too much happened, but trust me when I say it's a necessary chapter to further the plot. In the next chapter to come, there's definitely going to be more action. And that's all that I'm going to say about that.

Onto the reviewers!

 **Retrokill** \- Surprising, right? But trust me, I'm not losing my touch just yet ;).

 **dubbel0** \- Haha, this time you didn't have to wait too long, compared to last time.

 **Becka3490** \- Thank you!

 **Dragonblade94** \- Thanks so much for telling me that! I love hearing that people find my story amazing, as it brightens my day considerably! 3

 **Skittlez** \- Well, I think I figured it was you, it sounded like you, haha! Aww thank you! I know, when I was writing that part, there was a permanent smile on my face. And yeah, I figured it was time for them to get to the nickname-stage, although we'll see what the Chief thinks about it ;). Yeah, Stacey has barely been in the story yet many seem to dislike her. Means I'm doing my job right.

 **Brnhldrmm** \- There had to be some Chief and Tutes-action, I've missed writing those two interact with each other! And yeah, I believe you did! Gratz!

 **Moves of a dreamer** \- Thank you, aah! Feels outright awesome to hear that! The last chapter was pretty emotion-packed, with lots of bonding. Especially between our favourite couple of Chief and Tutes! I know the feeling of that, squealing and all, and just waiting for the next chapter update. Hope you'll enjoy this one as well!

 **Guest** \- Well, if you don't like Chief x OC stories than you can stop reading them. It's completely unnecessary of you to try put writers down by writing demeaning comments.

And that was all for the reviewers. A huuuuge thank you to those that have favved and followed, as per usual you all rock!

And of course, before letting y'all read, the disclaimer.

 **Disclaimer:** _They say... That Halo 6 is in the working. But where it at though? And no, Halo still isn't mine._

* * *

 **Chapter 16** **–** _ **Troublesome Signs**_

After their… 'talk', or reconciling or whatever it could be called, both 013 and the Chief had returned to the company of Lasky and, _unfortunately_ according to 013, ' _Stacey_ '. She still felt quite apprehensive of the new girl, and she would be lying through her teeth if she said she wasn't at all jealous of her being an agent to the Blue Team. For she definitely was.

Cause, you know, here she was standing, _existing,_ and wishing to herself that she someday would be accepted into their team, but then all of a sudden _this_ girl comes along, joining their team without much effort or hindrance. Sure, it was an assignment of hers, but nonetheless, she knew that her wish of wanting to become part of Blue Team had just been slighted, at least to some degree.

' _I still don't get why Blue Team needs an ONI Agent watching their asses, they're definitely capable enough to handle their own business…'_

As she ranted quietly to herself, her brow suddenly furrowed. How come that Blue Team even _was_ here to begin with? They had only told her they had been assigned to stay on the _Infinity_ for some time, but not for what reason.

' _Does that girl have anything to do with this…?'_

She kept mulling it all over, bringing facts into the picture, trying to warp them into fitting puzzle pieces - all to find out the answers to her unanswered questions. _Especially_ to the questions involving ' _Stacey',_ and why she'd come here - come aboard the _Infinity_. She wanted to know what her _actual_ business was, for there was just no legitimate reason why Blue Team needed a damn ONI Agent with them.

However, as she walked through the corridors, stuck in deep thought, her brewing was interrupted by someone bumping into her shoulder. Immediately irritation rose within her at the _rudeness_ and _carelessness_ of whoever it was that dared to walk into her, and her gaze quickly snapped up to deliver a harangue of how their audacity to no more than _shoving her_ out of their way, and the _very_ apparent _lack of manners_ , was not acceptable.

But whatever words she had planned to utter, died on her tongue as her eyes widened at the sight before her.

" _Casey?_ You're back! Where the hell have you been, girl!?" A wide smile cracked the seam of her lips, her grin widening to its full capacity. The irritation she had felt had quickly dispersed.

"Your ass has been missed, you know. Last time I saw you was… Geesh, _months_ ago! And it hadn't ended in the greatest way, the wimp of an assistant barging in and interrupting our re-acquaintance and all."

The girl opposite her, Casey, let loose a small chuckle, before walking forward, bringing her arms around 013. The girls hugged for a brief amount of time before Casey took a step back, all the while swiping down invisible crinkles from her uniform.

"Well, Command had me stuck in an office, sorting papers and whatnot. I had to see over a couple documents, and a few cases. It took its time for sure. And I would have visited you, but I was really swamped. Forgive me?" Casey sent 013 a rather convincing look, her eyebrows slanted as her lips pouted in a silent apology.

013 only huffed before rolling her eyes.

"Fine, you get a free card this time. But don't expect me to always be this lenient!" 013 replied with, lifting an accusing finger to point towards her friend. Casey on the other hand, just smiled, eyes twinkling.

"Promise. Now, how about lunch? I'm starved."

"Yeah, lets. I was just about to go eat myself actually. You caught me at the right time, luckily for you."

"Aren't I always?"

"Not from what I remember, no. Didn't you lose quite a lot back in the day?"

"That wasn't just me, my team was part of those losses as well!"

"Sounds like a bad excuse. You're only as strong as your weakest link, you know. Bet _you_ were that link."

"Was _not!_ Huffington was! He always ran head first into all your traps, giving away our location!"

" _Excuses."_ 013 sang the word out, and in return she earned another shove. She just laughed.

Casey and 013 spent a couple hours together, having relocated to the hangar of the ship to have some privacy. However, their time cut short when Casey had to deal with some business, and 013 went to fetch dinner in the mess hall before heading to the gym. It had been a while since she last was there.

 **Time skip -**

Approximately two hours passed, the time more or less flying by as 013 tired out her muscles through her training scheme. By the end of her set workout, she no more but _collapsed_ on the mats placed just nearby the weights. But despite wanting to find relief in saying she was done - she wasn't. She still had to stretch out her tendons.

"Maybe going all in wasn't the smartest of plans when I've been sloppy with my workout routines…" 013 mumbled to herself under her breath. A grimace washed over her face as she stretched her legs in front of her, before bending over and grabbing her feet with both her hands.

"I'm so going to feel like a train wreck tomorrow." 013 muttered, continuing her complaints to herself.

"It'll match your appearance then, you looking like a train wreck on the outside already." Came a sudden voice to her right. The snide, not to mention extremely _rude,_ comment _would've_ triggered 013's anger in the span of less than a millisecond - if it hadn't come from the one and only whom she really sometimes felt like slapping across the face.

" _Jeff._ You be _real_ careful or else your arm won't be the _only_ replacement you'll have on you."

" _Ouch,_ you wound me, Tutes! Who shoved a stick up your ass today?"

"No one did, it's just that the female species of man doesn't exactly appreciate being called _train wrecks._ Because, you know, that's the equivalent of being called _ugly_. And if you _anger_ said species, there's a very high risk that they'll harvest men's family jewels. Now, we don't want that, do we, Jeff?"

"... You lost me halfway through your monologue there, Bill Nye."

"Bill Nye-? You know what, I'm not even going to comment on that. You just proved you're a dumbass, and seriously lacking in the brain department. Now that we've established that, what's up?" 013 sneaked a glance towards her best friend standing beside her. It was hard to keep a straight face whenever around the guy, and despite her concentration in keeping a somewhat assembled poker face, she couldn't stop the tips of her lips from curving upwards.

"You females are just whack sometimes I tell you…" Jeff mumbled under his breath, as he cringed at the fact that she mentioned _family jewels_ and _harvest_ in the same sentence. Because of course, he _had_ actually been listening, much to the contrary of what 013 believed.

"I was about to do my own workout actually. I would've asked you but seeing you're a tr-"

" _Don't_ say train wreck."

"But you just-"

" _No._ "

"I give up, how do you even deal with the 'female species'?" Jeff questioned in defeat, his fingers coming up to quote 013's reference to the opposite gender. 013 just glanced at him before switching to another pose, this time stretching her core by lying on her front and lifting the upper half of her body off from the floor with only the help of her arms.

"It's easy - you don't. We're complicated human beings that no matter what, even when proved wrong, we'll always be right."

"That's just not fair."

"Life isn't fair, get used to it. If anything, Humanity has been ruled by patriarchy for quite some time, so really, it's all fair that we women get to have some kind of aspect to use against you guys."

"Hey, don't blame me for the dicks that chose to put my gender up on a pedestal and raise us high into the sky, as if we were people to be worshipped or something. I'm not asking you to kiss the ground I walk on, now am I?"

"No… No, you're not. I'm sorry. It's just…" 013 let out a tired sigh, wiping her brow before rising up, rolling her shoulders as she did so.

"I'm just so sick and tired of how men abuse their gender like it's some sort of fucking privilege. It shouldn't matter if you're a male or female, both are equal to one another." 013 said, her voice tinged with anger. Jeff could easily pick out, just from the underlying tones of anger and irritation, that something had happened, causing 013 to be in an aggravated mood.

And it had involved the male gender.

Jeff cocked his head to the side, before letting out a breath of air, and walked up to her, his feet easily eating up the distance between them.

"Tutes, what's happened?" His voice was soft, comforting, and he felt 013 lean up against him. By reflex, his arm came around, embracing her in a shoulder hug.

"Something confusing happened, that's what."

"Tell me." He whispered lowly to his best friend standing before him, his fingers idly tracing patterns on her shoulder.

 **Flashback -**

 _013 and Casey were seated on a couple of crates stacked in the back of the cargohold, once again reacquainting with each other. After all, last time they had rudely been interrupted, and so this time the both of them made sure to pick a place that was a lot more discreet than a debriefing room, with an open door to add._

 _And to of course discuss matters that wasn't for everyone to hear._

" _So… Last time. You were called in by the Board. I never got to know what happened?" Casey inquired, her brilliant blue eyes meeting the grey orbs of 013. The female sitting opposite her let out a tired sigh._

" _A lot. A lot happened. It's kind of a long story actually."_

" _That's okay, I'm all ears."_

" _Alright… So I was called in, right?" Casey only nodded, affirming that she remembered._

" _Turned out they wanted to interrogate me. Mainly about my last mission. But they also went ahead to no more than accuse me for being a Covenant spy. The reason why was because of one of my older missions, a scouting mission. I had been sent to a Covenant base located in the Outer rims to spy on them. Yeah, I know, ironic huh? I discovered from that scouting mission that the Covenant have this fucked up plan of wanting to kidnap young fucking CHILDREN to indoctrinate." 013's jaw clenched tightly upon telling that bit of information. It was a brutal plan the Covenant had – or has, she wasn't sure if they had already started on their 'grand-ass master plan'._

 _That the Covenant would even stoop so low to kidnap another species' children, who don't even know jackshit of the war that's going on between their species… Sure, currently Humanity had a relative peace treaty with the aliens nowadays, but a large part of the Covenant were less than happy of that agreement with the Human race._

 _Upon saying mentioned intel, a gasp tore from Casey's lips, and a shocked expression overtook the female's futures._

" _Seriously? They had plans of doing that?"_

" _Unfortunately, yeah."_

" _Wow… That they'd stoop so low."_

" _Not too hard to believe, seeing that their council was a fucked up bunch that wanted to activate the rings and annihilate all and any life in the nearby galaxies, including ours."_

" _Yeah… Living under those influences probably affected them and their morale quite a lot."_

" _To the point of them not having any morale, apparently."_

" _Obviously, since they want to kidnap children."_

" _Yepp."_

" _Anyway," 013 continued, picking up where she left off._

" _Because I mentioned indoctrination, and that I was staying on their planet, they Board was entirely convinced that I too had become indoctrinated from my extensive visit to their territory. Which is nothing but stupid because I went on several other missions after that, yet they still wanted to think I was too compromised. And it's been two years since that scouting mission. Wouldn't I've been 'cured' by now, if I ever had been indoctrinated? To add, before I even knew of their investigation of me, they sent me on a solo mission with a low survival rate, wanting me to grab some orb from a heavily armed Covenant base. What compromised soldier would accept that mission, and then succeed by bringing back the orb? Without spoiling military secrets to them? Sure as hell not a compromised one."_

" _And it turns out, that that orb I picked up was a Covenant A.I. Wouldn't I have known this if I was supposedly buddy-buddy with the Covenant? Since that A.I. probably contains the Covenant's secrets because it was placed in a base full to the godamn brim of covvies, why the hell would I bring it to their enemy?"_

 _013's brow had shifted into a full-fledged frown, and she let out an angry huff. Hearing it all out loud, it just sounded all the more stupid, and she was seriously questioning the amount of brain cells the Board had. Hell, she believed they probably shared one brain cell between themselves. It'd fit right along with their apparent status of being idiotic._

" _So yeah, after that interrogation, I was told I might be court-martialed and set on permanent discharge in the near future."_

"… _Are you kidding me? They did that?"_

" _They did."_

" _Twerps." Upon hearing Casey's supposedly insulting choice of word, 013 shot her a glance of disbelief._

" _Are you… Are you for real? Twerps? That's what you choose to call them?"_

" _Well, yeah? I'm not one for as vulgar insults as you!"_

" _I'd at least try a little harder… And it's good to have some vulgarity. Let's see… Fuckmuppets is kind of good, no? It has both vulgarity and that 'decency' of not being too mean."_

" _I am not calling Command for 'fuckmuppets', thank you very much."_

" _But you just did."_

" _I did not."_

" _But you did." 013 argued back, her eyebrow lifting as her lips tilted into a smirk._

" _I did not! And this wasn't what our conversation was about!"_

" _It kind of was though, since we're talking about Command, and their very questionable intelligence based on their equally questionable actions."_

" _Just go on with your story, please, 013?"_

"… _Fine."_

" _That wasn't even the worst part by the way, of what happened after. I ended up with memory loss for a month or two. Can't remember for how long, I kind of lost the meaning of time."_

 _For a few moments, there was just deadbeat silence, before Casey reacted._

"… _You what? Memory loss? How in hell did you end up with frickin' memory loss!?"_

 _013 shrugged her shoulders._

" _Enemies of mine. An ODST-group with testosterone-issues more precisely."_

"… _And this group… Ganged up on you and punched you a little too hard? Where was everyone else? Someone must've been there to stop them?" Casey argued heatedly, her brow tilted into the strong shape of a v. It was obvious that she was much disapproving of the Infinity's staff's lack of actions._

" _They wanted a fight because I trampled on their pride, and since I was angry at the Spartans at that time, I didn't think things through entirely and accepted."_

" _Wait, the Spartans? What do they have to do with you?"_

" _I'll come to that." 013 waved her hand, before continuing speaking._

" _So we fought in one of the sparring rings in the gym, and their leader ushered everyone out. Probably because he was going to play dirty and break the Code of Conduct. I hadn't expected that they'd go against the unspoken rules that apply to everyone when entering a sparring ring."_

" _Those… fuckmuppets." At that, 013 let out a snort. Her friend of old decided to use her insult now of all times, despite that she was referring to the ODSTs, and not the Board._

" _At least you have a slightly bigger vocabulary now, as you proved you do in fact have the capability to use less gentle words than… twerps." 013 had to really contain herself from fully cracking up, as she was on the brink of wanting to burst out into laughter. And it wasn't any kind of laughter, it was that kind of laughter that has one wondering if you lost the ability to breathe, and it just goes on for minutes._

" _It's not that funny…"_

" _It is though. My friend, you're growing up so fast…"_

" _Okay now you're just being immature."_

" _I'm pretty sure I'm not."_

" _Yes."_

" _No."_

" _Fine."_

" _Good."_

" _On with the story?"_

" _Fine."_

" _After the fight, I woke up in the Infirmary, not knowing shit, and I remained a memory-lacking husk for a couple weeks, up until one day I suddenly remembered. Well, with the help of Lasky, since he informed me of... well, of who I was, really. And since I was hit in the face, figuratively, with all my memories, I also realized what had been done to me. And obviously, me being me, I sought out vengeance for it."_

"… _And?"_

" _And that's where the Spartans come back into the picture. Kelly, the one in light-blue armor, stopped me and went to kick their asses for me instead. At first she was alone, but then Frederic, the one in teal-blue, and Linda, the brown one, joined in. They ended up in the Infirmary after that."_

" _No shit…" Casey whispered quietly as she stared down into her lap. 013 was sure she had a lot of questions, as she had withheld specific parts of information. Some things were just better left unsaid._

" _You know I have a lot of questions, right?"_

" _I do."_

" _But out of my own courtesy, I'm going to spare you them."_

" _Seriously?"_

" _For now."_

" _Knew it was too good to be true… But hey, at least it's scheduled for another time. Thanks."_

" _You're welcome."_

" _But don't think I'm not going to ask you about the Spartans though, because I am."_

" _I know, I did say we were going to come to that. So yeah, me and the Spartans… It's a funny story, this one…"_

 _And so 013 went to tell Casey of how she first met them, and of how they stepped in when the ODSTs were being a pain in her ass. She told her of her sparring match with them, to which Casey looked at her as if she had grown a second head. She could understand her friend's reaction though, since sparring with Spartans was somewhat dangerous, despite them being overly careful._

 _She also told her of how Kelly and the rest, excluding the Chief, stepped in to exact her revenge for her. To this, Casey only asked why Master Chief wasn't there, but 013 only shrugged in response. She didn't know, nor did she want to think further upon it, the twinge in her heart forcing her mouth shut._

 _They chatted for a while longer, before 013 had to dismiss herself to fetch dinner, while Casey had her own things to do._

 _But she didn't get to eat her food in peace. In fact, she hadn't even entered the mess hall before she bumped into something akin to a brick wall. But since brick walls don't grunt or curse, that assumption was quickly thrown into the nearest trashcan._

 _When 013 looked up to give her talking brick walls an identity, she almost immediately regretted it._

 _Simply because those she had bumped into, were none other but the ODSTs. The only positive thing about the whole encounter was that she saw several of them wearing casts and bandages, and she inwardly smiled a smug smile._

' _Hah, serves them right.'_

" _Oh, it's you." Came the demeaning, nasal voice that she hated so much._

" _Looking good in that cast, buddy."_

" _Fuck you."_

" _No thanks." 013 snippily replied. None of the others spoke up, and she was glad for that. She wasn't exactly feeling up for a confrontation, even though she was in the middle of one. But perhaps it would only stay on the small scale, rather than escalate into something bigger. That'd be just great._

" _Now if you don't mind, I want to pass through." 013 continued, seeing that none of them looked like they were about to move. This only earned her a glare, and 013 had to contain herself from frowning as well as saying something provocatively. After all, she didn't want confrontation at the moment._

"… _Please?" 013 added sarcastically, her eyebrow arching. For a couple seconds, only heavy breathing could be heard, probably from the leader, and 013 clenched her jaw, preparing for the worst. Maybe sarcasm was a no-go too…?_

 _But nothing happened, and with a flick of his head, the leader signalled for his companions to move it. 013 let out a silent sigh, feeling relieved that nothing big was going to go down._

 _But before she entered, she was once again stopped. This time, a hand had grabbed a hold of her upper arm, and 013 shifted her gaze to meet that of the only unharmed individual of the ODST-gang._

" _Hey… Uhm…" He went quiet, looking rather unsure._

" _I wanted to apologize to you. For what we did." Upon hearing what he said, 013 looked positively stunned, before she titled her brows downwards slightly._

" _Thanks… But you can only apologize for what you yourself did. The others would have to apologize on their own although it's highly unlikely that they ever will. And even though you're apologizing for your actions, don't think that it makes it all okay. What you did was nothing short of despicable. It was rule-breaking, breaking the Code of Conduct, which every soldier and marine should follow. You didn't, and they didn't either. That makes you, and them, dishonourable soldiers." 013 replied with. She knew she was sounding perhaps a little too harsh, but she had to. She had to tell him the cold facts, for that's what they were. Stonecold and harsh truth._

" _I-I know… But I knew it was wrong. I didn't want to do it, but they wouldn't accept that, so they forced me to participate…"_

" _No one can force you to do anything, in the end it's all up to what you yourself decide to do. You decided to give in to peer pressure, letting them manipulate you into doing their bidding. They might've been the cause, but ultimately, you became part of that cause because you let yourself be manipulated. If I were you, I'd cut my connections to them entirely. I get it that you maybe want to belong to some group and not be left out, but trust me when I say that you're hanging with the wrong crowd. Find a better one."_

 _And with that, 013 left him standing, entering through the mess hall doors, mind set on getting her food. She was starving._

 **Flashback End -**

"That was… Eventful."

013 laughed without any joy containing it. It was a rather bleak laugh, really.

"You could say that again."

"My question is… Why'd you let him off the hook so easily?"

013 herself had asked herself that question, many times. Why _had_ she let him off so easy? He had after all been part of her losing her memory… But then again, he was just some poor kid that let himself be manipulated because he just wanted someplace to belong.

013 shrugged in response.

"I guess… Because he's such a young kid, and confused. He has problems with wanting to belong, and he prioritizes it so much, the want in belonging, that he willingly lets himself be manipulated."

Jeff had a thoughtful facial expression, his eyes mulling her words over.

"It makes sense. I'm glad you didn't do anything brash with the kid. Honestly, I'd think he might actually listen to you simply because you weren't acting the way he thought you would. I mean, he probably thought you'd want to punch his daylights out, yet you didn't, and so he was proven wrong. There lies power in actions like that."

"… Perhaps you're right…" 013 then sighed, her shoulders slumping just a little.

"I just hope he'll drop out of the group. I mean, he doesn't seem like such a bad kid… He came and apologized to me. He _apologized._ That takes guts, especially when you know you've caused the person you're apologizing to heavy damage."

"Aw, you getting sentimental there, Tutes?"

"No, I'm just being positive for once. Is that a bad thing?"

"There's a difference between optimism and sentimentality. You, dear Tutes, are being sentimental."

"Am not." 013 huffed in defiance. In addition, to clearly send the message that _no, she was not being sentimental,_ she shrugged off his arm.

Speaking of arms…

"Hey Jeff?"

"Yeah?"

"How's your arm doing…?" She asked carefully, her grey orbs seeking his. It had been some time since she had last been updated of the state of his arm, and she was curious as to how he was doing.

She was sincerely hoping for positive results.

"It's… I guess it's going alright? The process is slow, _real_ slow, and my Commander isn't too happy about my progress, but other than that, Doc and the rehab trainer I've been assigned are being cheerful and helping."

"Did you just put 'Doc' and 'cheerful' in the same sentence? Are we even talkin' 'bout the _same Doc_ as in _my_ Doc?"

"Yeah, we are. Surprising, right? But talk to the woman with the right tone and the right words, you'll see a side of her that you've never seen before. But that might be a bit difficult for ya, since you're not known for being charming _or_ kind."

Jeff's words earned him a punch, albeit it was a weak one since her arms were feeling much like lead after her having pumped the crap out of them from her workout.

"You're a mean dick, Jeff."

"Well aware, Tutes, well aware."

"Up yours."

"Aren't you a ray of sunshine."

"Go away."

"I just got here."

"Doesn't matter, leave. You're polluting my air with your presence."

"Am I _that_ bad, really?"

"Yes, yes you are. Now go away."

"Fine woman, I'll catch you later when you're not PMS:ing."

"Didn't we just have a conversation about patriarchy? You're not helping by stereotyping."

"Oh don't overreact, Tutes, you know me well enough to know that I'm not batting for the all-male dominance-system."

013 had no response to that, and so she only let out a huff. She could hear the distant chuckle coming from Jeff, and she assorted to roll her eyes at his back.

' _Hopeless.'_

 **Consoles Room, Section; Upper levels, UNSC** _ **Infinity**_

" _Yes, yes I know. But-" The voice on the other end of the communication device interrupted, saying something that was inaudible._

" _It's an A.I. The orb. Spartan-ODST-013 confirmed this."_

" _What do you want me to do? Erradicate her? You know I can't do that, not with these circumstances!" The female standing within the room harshly whispered, her voice tinged with disbelief. The soft blue light coming from the consoles stationed before her bathed the room in its luminance, the blue hues touching most of the surfaces within. The woman's face was the most lit up, her hair glowing and her eyes brightly shining the same blue light._

" _I am not compromising her, not now."_

 _Yes, I know what ONI wants." The female huffed in irritation, and she shifted her stance, cocking her hip._

" _She has the Spartans, and she has Captain Lasky. They're protecting her."_

" _Yes… Yes, okay. I'll be on standby." And with that the conversation ended, the light on the communication device slowly dimming, signalling that the connection had broken._

 _What the woman didn't know about her supposedly secret call however, was that she wasn't at all alone. Standing by the door that was only half-closed, another person was present, the brown armor slightly illuminated by the blue light escaping through the quarter gap of the door._

 _She had been recording a large part of the woman's conversation, as she intended to play the recording out loud for her team to hear when they gathered the next time. And, with the help of the scope on her helmet, she zoomed in on the sewed patch on the woman's uniform, to add an identity to the woman standing within the Consoles room._

 _It read Casey Mitchell._

* * *

Hah, **cliffhangers.**


	18. Chapter 17 - Illusive Suggestions

_**Yeah, she's back. Back again.**_

 _ **She is back, call a friend.**_

Yupp, I am HERE. I am sooo sorry for taking so long. I know it's been _months,_ but it has been a lot with school and family and friends going on. I never managed to catch myself a break. That's why there's been a huge lack of updates. I know you all have been waiting, that's why I pressed myself to at least publish this chapter. I'm unsure of when the next will be coming up, probably not until June. I'm sorry for that, but school comes first. Unless I feel I have free time, then I'll write on another chapter, but don't get your hopes up for another update in a while. But I promise, **_promise_ , **that I won't ever let this story die and never be completed.

Because it will. I love this story waaaay too much. Hell, I'm like you guys whenever I write and read my own chapters. I feel all giddy and stuff.

Anyhow, it's been a year since I started on this story. _More_ than a year, and it feels amazing. And to celebrate that, and the lack updates, I got a surprise side-chapter for you guys, along with an _actual_ chapter! Hope you'll enjoy!

Y'all reviewers!

 **Retrokill -** Yeah, sometimes that happens, and I've done it as well ;).

 **dubbel0 -** Cliffhangers is ma thang, bruh. Nah but, it makes things more interesting. Bill Nye references are the best, I don't know how many times my mind gets stuck on his themesong xD. But yes, thank you! Makes me smile hearing that you liked the chapter!

 **Moves of a dreamer -** Plot twists are pretty nice, imo ;). And nah, the rude guest didn't bring down my author spirit, rather, time did, haha. But yes, there's a lot of exciting things planned in the near future! As for your recent review; Sorry for the extremely loooong wait!

 **Dragonblade94 -** Here is more!

 **Brnhldrmimi -** Thank you, I don't care too much about the guest, but thanks for encouraging me! Yeah, the plot thickens, and stuff is about to go dooown. Or something, who knows (I do, hah).

 **Skittlez -** It will certainly get more interesting from here on out!

 **DragonClanMaster -** _Love_ your name! I hate it too, yet I use it as well. It's a hateship loveship between cliffhangers and I, that's for sure 3.

And to those that have followed me during my time that I've been gon; **_thank you!_** Again, I'm _so_ sorry for having been gone for so long, but I hope I can compensate for that with this chapter and the bonus chapter! You all are _amazing!_

Now onwards to the disclaimer!

 **Disclaimer:** _It's been four months and four days, still no sign of Halo 6. Apparently they're taking an even longer break that I am._

* * *

 **Chapter 17 –** _ **Illusive Suggestions**_

013 and the Chief had, surprisingly, settled into a weird set of routines after reconciling with each other. The routines were never addressed, as the two of them simply let them develop, not really minding it. 013 particularly felt extra joyful of this newfound friendship that she had with the Chief. Well, friendship and friendship… Perhaps it was some sort of bond that didn't really have a label, as she sometimes felt that it went beyond platonic… Not to say that they acted like a couple, for they didn't.

All they did, was following their instincts whenever near each other, and those involved 013 always standing close to him when he was within the vicinity - which he accepted, as he always glanced down at her subtly. It was his way to show that he didn't mind her proximity. However, he usually wore his helmet, so it wasn't too often that she got to see his facial expression. The only times he didn't wear it was when they ate in the mess hall or within his room. All other times, he preferred it on. 013 never really knew if he allowed himself to show more emotion when wearing it… or if he was as neutral as he was when not wearing his helmet.

Although she _had_ the suspicion that he probably smirked at her sometimes when she did something silly, which was actually quite often, seeing that she was a rather clumsy soldier, walking into whatever corners that existed. It wasn't as though she did it on purpose… It was like the corners were beckoning to her, pulling her towards them just so they could inflict pain on her. Because it was so unrealistic how she managed to walk into the weirdest of corners. The corner could be at the end of a table stationed far into a room, yet somehow she'd probably end up walking into it.

Most likely because of her habit of pacing.

Still.

It was weird.

Even weirder than weird, really.

' _Gotta love my affinity for bad luck.'_

Another routine that the two had somehow managed to develop was the fact that she always sat next to him when eating in the mess hall. Even the other Spartans had taken to make sure one of the spots next to the Chief was unoccupied for 013 to sit at. Of course, this hadn't passed without Frederic commenting on it one day, being the comedian that he was. Well, _more_ comic than any of his other team members.

"You sure seem to have claimed the right to sit next to Master Chief in the mess hall quite often, Tutes." The mentioned female shot her head up upon hearing her name, her gaze looking quite oblivious. It was a rather hilarious sight, and the tips of Frederic's lips curved slightly upwards.

"What?"

"I said, you sure seem to have claimed the right to sit next to Master Chief in the mess hall quite often."

"… I have?"

"You have." Frederic stated, still smirking.

"Uh…" 013 frowned in thought, her brow creasing as she thought back to whenever they sat in the mess hall.

Truthfully, she actually hadn't noticed that she was doing that - claiming a seat next to the Chief, that is.

"I didn't know I did that. I sort of figured it was seating arrangements or something, because you all take the same spots every time."

"That's because we know you'll get prissy when you don't get to sit next to the Chief."

"I don't get ' _prissy_ '!"013 immediately arguedback, her gaze firing imaginary daggers at the Spartan before her, who only chuckled lightly.

"Oh but you do. I remember one instance where you just stabbed your food with your knife and fork rather than eating it, with a sour expression on your face. Later on, when we let you sit next to our leader, your mood brightened considerably and you dug into your food like a barbarian."

"First off, I don't do ' _sour_ '. Irritated, angry, frustrated, spiteful and any other words insinuating those moods, I do. But not ' _sour_ ', thank you very much. And secondly, I am _not_ a barbarian! I was hungry, and the food was there. I wanted to get first in line to another helping of food. The _Infinity_ actually has good food some days, and I'm all for using those days to their fullest."

"You're quite defiant in not wanting to accept the fact that you like to keep close to our Chief, Tutes. It's not something you have to deny you know, we got no qualms with you wanting to be near him. Actually, we're kind of happy that you are. He's been less… Stiff, for the lack of a better word, these days. He's less reserved, and seems to be more at ease. It's been a long time since we've seen him like that."

Upon hearing those words being uttered, 013 sat in silence. Her expression was neutral, but her eyes were glazed over, indicating that she was lost to her mind's world. And it did make sense, for after all, she _had_ just been told that she's the Chief's bottle of chill pills.

' _I am…?_ ' She thought quietly. She wondered why that is. Why was _she_ someone the Chief felt he could be less tense around? What had she done that brought that calmness? All she had ever done, was crash into him, irritate him, disrupt him, blame him, get pissed off at him – the list just goes on.

There was not a single positive thing that she could name that she had done for the Chief, nothing but-

' _I have apologized to him… And I bet he isn't on the receiving end of apologies often…'_ 013 idly thought.

' _That still makes it one to… at least five negative things. That's nowhere near being close to managing to cause him to be less stiff…'_

013 let out a quiet breath of air before directing her gaze to Frederic sitting opposite her of the table. Currently they were seated at their usual table in the mess hall. All but Frederic had left, as he willingly stayed behind. Most likely because he wanted to talk to her about the topic he had brought up.

"I don't get why though. If anything, I've been a pest to him, ruining his routines. I bet if you hadn't met me, you wouldn't be included in this mess of mine, neither would you be aboard the _Infinity_ _,_ for starters. _"_ 013 said. She felt her heartstrings twinge when mentioning that they'd not be in her life if not for her being, well, _her._ They'd continued on with their lives, never knowing who she was, or that she even existed.

The thought was too painful to think further upon, and 013 quickly shut it out from her mind. She didn't want to think about that – of how her life would be if the Spartans weren't in it. Actually, she could barely even picture it nowadays, it was that difficult.

' _They've really nestled themselves into my life. Hell, I don't know how my life would look like if they weren't in it.'_

And it was astounding, really, 013 realized – of just how _much_ of an impact the Spartans have had on her life up until now. Her days involved their existence, as she on a daily basis spent time with them. Seeing that she was still out of the loop and off the mission roster – which just are nicer words for her being _grounded –_ 013 had a lot of time on her hands. And the Spartans had time on their hand as well, as they were stationed here for the time being.

And speaking of them being stationed here… Perhaps she should ask Frederic what they were doing here. Why aren't they sent off on other missions? Surely there has to be quite urgent matters that Spartans have to deal with…

Frederic shrugged at her question.

"Don't put yourself down like that. Remember what I told you a while back? Just recently after we met for the first time? You're unique, special. You know, we kind of see you as part of us. And we Spartans tend to have a hard time letting strangers in. But you, 013, have managed to befriend all of us. That's no easy feat. I don't have an answer to why the Chief feels less tense when around you. I'd ask him for that answer."

013 thought for a second she had lost the ability to breathe for a few seconds, as everything around her momentarily stilled. All she could hear was her heartbeat, beating strongly inside her chest. The sounds of the other soldiers and marines present within the mess hall slowly tuned out until it only became distinct chatter, and their forms merely became blurry silhouettes.

She had just been called… _one of them._

By a _Spartan._

 _They considered her as one of them._

 _She belonged to the Spartans._

But then reality came crashing, and her reality sped up once again.

She had been called one of them, yes, but only by Frederic – the one who she first befriended, and the one who she felt she could actually call a friend. Even more than just friend - _a good friend. A great friend._ She and friendships, or friendships and her, really, never worked out, except for Jeff. Her past on this ship was solid proof of that. Having once been considered as part of the ODSTs, only to be dropped like a sack of shit by them because of a single disgusting individual calling her out on her different name-tag. Because of her connection to the word _Spartan._ And she'd never be able to make it back into that group of friends, especially not now whenshe's affiliated with _actual_ Spartans.

They'd never let her in, no matter what she did or said.

But she was pretty sure too, that she didn't _want_ in on their group, not now when knowing how they all have fucked up moral compasses.

But back to the topic at hand.

Frederic might call her his friend, but she couldn't put trust in him saying that she'd managed to befriend the other three. She had no clue as to what Kelly and Linda thought of her, and most _definitely_ not what the Chief thought of her.

And there was no chance that she'd ask him either. Hell to the no. _Nope, nada, never._

' _And now it's getting complicated again. What did I say about complicating things?'_

013 shifted in her seat, and rolled her neck.

"Yeah, I remember that… It was while I was kind of having an emotional breakdown too. I'm still sorry you had to see me like that, I'm not usually the one to let emotions get to me, but I guess I had just… had _enough_ of the bullshit. Of them leering at me 24/7. It gets to you after a while." 013 said with a heavy sigh.

"And yeah _, you all_ have stood up for me a lot, and I appreciate it so damn much, you know that? Thanks, loverboy." 013 continued, this time with a more cheerful tone, along with her typical lopsided smirk. After all, she was really digging the 'loverboy-persona' she's building up for her Spartan friend. He fit the image.

"No problem, babycakes. And don't think of apologizing for showing emotions. Soldiers and marines alike have their breaking points. It's just a matter of time, always."

At that, 013 almost wanted to snort. Yeah, soldiers and marines have breaking points – but she had believed hers was stronger, yet she was proved that perhaps she didn't have as strong breaking point as she originally thought. Then again… She _had_ been dealing with their crap long before the Spartans came along…

Not to add her entire life story before her enlistment on the _Infinity._

But speaking of the Spartans and breaking points…

"Everyone but the Spartans, huh?" 013 remarked, her eyebrow arching, her facial expression changing to that of apprehension.

Frederic himself eyed her questioningly before moving slightly backwards, albeit still keeping his crossed arms on the table surface.

"We have our breaking points too." Was the only thing he said, and 013's eyes narrowed.

"But you have yet to reach them, I'm guessing." Frederic simply shrugged, not offering up any answer.

There was silence between for a few heartbeats, as if they were fighting an invisible battle with each other. But it didn't take all too long before 013 lifted her hands in the air, signifying her giving up.

"Fine, be the weird cryptic messenger. I don't care either way." She said, this time actually huffing, having repressed doing so previously. Frederic stood up then, pushing off of the table counter, before looking down at 013, whose gaze had now turned curious and questioning.

"I'll catch up with you later, 013, I gotta head to Blue Team." And with that, he promptly left, leaving 013 befuddled.

' _What just happened?_ ' Was the first thought on her mind after Frederic left. She frowned, mulling over what had just taken place. She couldn't help but feel as if she had done something _really wrong._ There was this glint of… _Disappointment?_ – within his eyes. She clenched her jaw.

' _What's wrong with asking about their own breaking points?'_ She thought, suddenly irritated. She didn't really see why it'd be that big of a thing, and so she couldn't understand why Frederic had acted the way he had done.

But then, the thought slammed her, causing her to almost flinch.

 _They don't know how it is to break – because their emotions were eradicated almost to the point of actually being nonexistent._

 _They don't know how it is to be human._

'… _Fuck.'_

013 let her head bang against the table surface at her idiocy. Of course it was wrong with her asking him that, because he has no fucking _clue._

Why. Am. I. So. Stupid." With every word she bonked her head against the table surface, before ending it with a particularly heavy sigh.

' _I'm gonna have to apologize, again, to a Spartan. I hope this doesn't become a damn habit.'_

 **Time Skip -**

In another part of the _Infinity,_ a group of four familiar individuals stood. The nearby vicinity was void of any living being except for themselves – safety protocol and all. They had been called down, but surprisingly not by the Chief, but by _Linda._

She had something to show, she said.

The four turned their gazes to Linda, who stood by the screen, fiddling with the connection port. She inserted the chip from her helmet and into the port. Moments later, the screen lit up, and Linda turned around to touch a couple panels that shone in soft blue light on the touch screen. While she fixed with the screen, she also spoke up.

"I was heading to Captain yesterday when I heard a voice coming from the Consoles Room. The voice was whispering, and mentioned the investigation 013's in." She said. The Spartan took a step back to take in how the view would be on the screen, and nodded to herself that it looked alright. But before hitting play, she turned around, meeting the gazes of the other three.

"This is what I managed to catch on vid."

And so she played the recording.

" _Yes, yes I know. But-"_

" _It's an A.I. The orb. Spartan-ODST-013 confirmed this."_

" _What do you want me to do? Eradicate her? You know I can't do that, not with these circumstances!"_

" _I am not compromising her, not now."_

 _Yes, I know what ONI wants."_

" _She has the Spartans, and she has Captain Lasky. They're protecting her."_

" _Yes… Yes, okay. I'll be on standby."_

 _ **-.**_

The recording ended.

Everyone within in the room stood quiet, silently analyzing the conversation.

"Did you manage to get an identity?" Frederic asked, his body leaning against the wall, arms crossed in front of him. His face expression was relatively neutral, but barely as it had flickers of grimness shining through.

"Yes." Linda turned back to the screen, her fingers flying over its surface, bringing up a picture. With the help of her hands, she zoomed in on the patch, letting everyone read the relatively clear text written on the patch of the woman's uniform.

 _Casey Mitchell._

"It does make sense, with her sudden appearance onboard the _Infinity._ " Kelly commented, her eyes scanning the others.

"She came aboard a couple months ago, from what 013 said. And then she left while she was stuck in memory loss, before once again popping up on the radar barely five days ago." Frederic continued, his brow furrowing slightly.

Linda nodded, and leaned against the object nearest her, which was the monitor.

"What do we make of this?" She asked, and after airing her question, all helmets were directed towards the Chief - their leader. He however, remained quiet for some time, not uttering a word.

"Search the databanks, find whatever you can." The Chief shifted from his static pose, uncrossing his arms as he headed towards the monitor. Kelly took her place next to Linda, and got into her element - hacking through the firewalls, avoiding Roland, the ships A.I., and searching for the right information.

Soon enough the screen was occupied by several documents that involved Casey Mitchell.

And they weren't good. Within her documents, were both a connection to the Board and to ONI listed, which meant that she perhaps plays a role in the accusations towards 013…

"So… What do we make of her?" Frederic asked, his gaze shifting over the rest of his team members.

"A suspect." Kelly answered, before continuing.

"What are our orders, Chief?"

Silence was their temporary answer, before the Chief's muffled voice spoke up.

"Lay low until we find sufficient information to bring her in for questioning. Do whatever you can to obtain any valuable information." And with that, he spun around and walked out of the room, leaving the rest of his team in confusion as to why he so suddenly left.

"So… What do we make of _him_?" Came Frederic's next question, his thumb pointing in the direction of the door, which the Chief just recently exited through.

"I'm unsure… He's been acting a little different these days. And I don't know if it's a good sign or not." Linda said rather quietly. She wasn't one to voice her opinion about such things, mostly because she never cared to _have_ an opinion.

"Agreed. I'm afraid that he might just be losing his grip a little… I mean, the Chief hasn't shown this much emotion, or _care,_ in a long time. I think he might be in conflict with himself, questioning his actions, leading to unknown ground." Kelly replied, her arms resting against the monitor as she spoke.

"I'm not denying that he treats 013 differently than he has done others, I'm just afraid that he'll shut himself inside again. We know how it was last time, it wasn't pretty."

"Then what can we do to help him, Frederic? We know as much of this as he does. It's new territory for us as well. I won't deny either that 013 has somehow befriended us, if not just a little, no?"

"... I like the girl's company." Came Linda's short, but sincere reply. And it surprised the rest of her team, all which turned their gazes towards the brown-armoured Spartan.

"... What? I'm being honest, nothing wrong with that." She huffed, and shrugged her shoulders.

"No… just surprising, is all." Frederic said, as he smiled beneath his helmet. He came to a conclusion then, of why 013 was so vital to them, even though they hadn't fully realized that she indeed _was_ vital.

She was showing them how to be a bit more compassionate, to be just slightly more… _human._

His smile spread just a little wider, and he let out a breath that felt like it had been held in for years.

' _Babycakes, you sure are a special one.'_

 **Time Skip -**

In another part of the ship, it wasn't as peaceful nor sentimental as other parts were. In fact, in this part of the ship it was as far away from those words as possible.

" _Excuse me!?_ You want me to _leave_ this ship? More so, you want me to _help you!?_ Like _hell_ I will, not after the _shit_ you've put me through these past months!"

"Please, calm down 013. We're asking this of you because it would benefit the UNSC a whole lot. We're talking about possible secret Intel from the Covenant. You've said before how they have plans of converting our own species to fit their own purposes, which will have us fighting against our own kind. You don't want that to happen do you?"

"Don't play on my moral compass, you sick shit, I'm _well-aware_ of their fucking plans. After all, _I_ was the one who found out about it, and my thanks was _you guys using it against me._ So _do tell_ why the fuck I should even _think_ of helping you?"

"In compensation, we'll free you of all accusations. You get your life back. On the condition that you succeed, that is."

At that suggestion, 013 heaved a heavy breath, before huffing it all out in one go, her eyes narrowing even further. To say she was beyond frustrated would be a lie, she was _more so -_ she was _pissed,_ to hell and back. That they dare ask her for help after having done what they've done… First it was false accusations, then threat of court martial, and now _this._ That they ever thought it to be a plausible option…

' _They know they can pull shit like this because I can't say no, not really. Unless I want to go to court, which I don't… For fuck's sake, do I ever get to win?'_

013 pinched the bride of her nose in an attempt to reign in her frustration, if just a little.

"I'm free of _all_ accusations? Free of _court martial?_ If I do this, you won't _ever_ pull another stunt like you've done. You leave my past, and my future actions, alone unless they _clearly_ violate UNSC rules. If not, then you all can go fuck yourselves."

"Yes, you will free of everything, and we won't have a repeat of what's been done. Do you agree?"

013 rolled her shoulders uncomfortably, not really know what she should do. If she were to refuse, what other kind of shitstorm would they create? However, if she _agrees…_ What _exactly_ is it that she'd be agreeing on…?

' _I mean, they want me to talk to a Covenant A.I. How am I supposed to do that, I didn't even KNOW it was a damn A.I. until after I retrieved it!'_

"Give me some time to think things through." And with that, 016 walked past the three men. She had no clue who they were, as she had never seen them before. Meaning, they had to come from the ship docked to the _Infinity._

' _Funny how I wasn't informed of a visit, thanks Lasky.'_ She thought sourly, however, threw the thought away because accusing Lasky for this would not only be cheap, but it'd be low. Lasky would've told her if he had the possibility. After all, he did bend the rules quite often for her sake, and for that she was forever grateful.

' _So, where's Casey at?'_

After turning a couple corners and searching several rooms for Casey, she finally found the woman sitting at the back of the dock, where they first had talked. She looked busy, several glowing pads surrounding her along with sheets of paper.

"You're looking kinda busy there, Casey." As soon as she spoke, the woman dropped the pad she was holding, and whipped her head up towards the sound, a perplexed facial expression on her face.

"Whoops, sorry for scaring ya." 013 laughed, before walking over to the busy woman.

"No, no, it's okay. I was just engorged in my work, is all." Casey then shifted all the pads away, stacking them while turning the sheets of papers upside down. 013 frowned a little at this, slightly wondering if she was trying to hide something from her… But then she remembered that she wasn't supposed to know any military facts - being on probation does that. Oh, and let's not forget possible court martial.

That's a thing too.

"So, any particular reason why you came here?" Casey asked, having finished sorting her things and now diverting her attention to 013, who was standing next to her.

"Well… Yeah. It's about a thing…" 013 started, before sinking down onto the floor, joining Casey. She let out a deep sigh before continuing speaking.

"Three men came to ask me for help… They want me to crack open the orb I brought in, which is a Covenant A.I.. I have no clue how to do that, I didn't even _know_ it was an A.I. until _after_ I brought it in, and now they want me to miraculously make it talk." 013 huffed. She felt irritation creeping under her skin, but she shook it off. Or tried to, it just continued coming back, that crawling, pines and needeles sensation.

' _Ugh, can you not, body?'_

"So… They came asking for your help."

"Yes."

"And they are also the ones responsible for your court martial."

"Well, not exactly, but they're connected to those that are. So I told them to fuck off at first, but then they said they would lift all accusations, _and_ my court martial, if I cooperated… No, if I _succeed._ But that's the thing. I got no clue _whatsoever_ on how to succeed. If I don't, then I'll most likely go to court anyway, but if I do…" 013 drew in a shaky breath.

"I might get my life back, Casey."

For 013, that was a huge deal, and it didn't dawn on her until now that if she actually were to succeed, they'd let her live her life just as she had done before. She would be out on the field again, she would be back in the loop.

"That's… That's amazing, 013! Why not just accept the offer? It's not like you have anything to lose?"

"No, I don't, but to _help_ them after what they've put me through? They're throwing false accusations towards me, wanting to eradicate me. _Hell, they wanted to kill me!_ I was sent on that mission to _die,_ Casey. I wasn't meant to bring the orb back alive." 013 swallowed the painful lump that was quickly forming in her throat. This was a difficult decision for her, _more_ than difficult. Either it was one extreme, or another. Help those who wants her gone, in exchange of her getting her life back - from those that want her _gone._

' _Oh the irony.'_

"What do I do, Casey…" 013 placed her hands over her face, not really knowing what to do. She was at the end of her line in this matter, not knowing what to think, how to find reason, because she was so biased.

"I think you should take it, the offer, I mean. I know it sucks having to help those that wants you… gone, but if you can get your life back… And that they won't mess with you in the future either, I'd take it. It's the one chance you have, unless you want to go to court and take your chances there."

"No… Can't do that, I won't put hope in winning the damn court."

"Then you have your decision right there, 013." The blonde female leaned over to pat 013's shoulder, reassuring her friend that it was okay. It all was going to be okay, despite the whole mess.

"Okay… Okay." 013 heaved a breath, before pushing off of the floor.

"Thank you, Casey. I can always rely on you to see reason when I can't."

"I'm always here for you, 013, remember that." 013 smiled big, before waving goodbye and leaving the woman to whatever it was she had been doing. Just as soon as she walked away, Casey shuffled the pads and papers back to their previous places, and continued on with her work.

 **Time Skip -**

"Where's the Chief at?" 013 was having a rather difficult time finding the Chief, or _any_ of the Spartans really. And it felt as if she had been in this situation before, looking for the Chief but never finding him until Frederic had spontaneously shown up.

"Where you at, guys. I gotta talk to you all…" 013 let out a breath, and turned the umpteenth corner.

"It shouldn't be this hard. Either they're in the Gym or at the mess hall, or…"

"Their rooms." 013 wanted to face-palm at her idiocy of forgetting that they had _rooms._

"Of _course_ they do. How could I be so stupid, seriously…" And with that, 013 quickly headed towards the elevator, pressing the button to bring it to her floor before proceeding to press another button which would lead her to the _right_ floor.

"The creepy corridor, is still the same amount of creepy…" 013 whispered to herself while walking inside said creepy corridor. She would probably never get over how afraid she had felt the first time she had come down here, when the Spartans were nothing but names and unidentified faces.

She stopped outside Frederic's door first, feeling more comfortable knocking on his as she had done so a couple times before. Even though they had a little of a dispute, or _something_ along those lines.

However, there was no answer, and 013's brow arched slightly downwards. She knocked once again, adding a little more strength behind her knocks.

Still, she received no answer.

' _Come on, please be home, anyone.'_

She knocked on the other two doors, Kelly's and Linda's, only to receive the same type of answer - silence.

Then, finally, she stopped outside the Chief's room, and her heartbeat sped up just a little. She didn't know why she felt like this whenever it came to the Chief, but somehow, someway, he always caused her heartbeat to elevate.

' _One day he's gonna give me a heart attack.'_

She took a calming breath, before bringing her knuckles to his door, knocking on it three times. At first, there was only silence, and 013 let out a sigh and turned on her heel, ready to head back to her inane searching.

Only for the door to open up, with the Chief emerging from within the room.

"Uh…" 013 looked rather startled, not having prepared for the fact that he _would_ actually be in, yet here he was, standing in all his naked glory-

" _Woah,_ you're without a shirt! Sorry! I'm sorry, I won't look!" 013 quickly spun back around, her hands coming up to cover her face from any possible see-throughs. Even though her back was facing the Chief's wonderful chest.

' _No, NO. No such thoughts, 013!'_

She heard a rumble behind her, and figured that the Chief was mostly likely laughing at her right now, which was kind of cute, and extremely surprising.

"Yeah ha-ha, laugh it up buddy, let's see how _you_ react when I stand without a shirt one day."

And just as soon as she said that, did it go up for her what it instead might have sounded like.

"Shit, you put me up for that one. Jerk."

"I didn't put you up for anything, 013. You can turn around." Came his deep voice, and 013 felt herself shiver. There were tingles running rampant under her skin currently.

' _God why, stop torturing me, please. I beg you.'_

"You sure I can? You're not standing in the door without a shirt?"

"No, I'm not. Turn around, 013."

"Uh, okay. I trust you on it. You better not be standing there naked."

"I was never naked."

"You could've been."

At that, the Chief arched his eyebrow a little, and 013 looked confusedly at him, before thinking back on what she had said.

"Dammit. Let's drop this topic, yes?" 013 replied, her face turning just a little red, her cheeks gaining a rosy tinge. The only reply she received was a light chuckle from the Chief, which _she_ replied to with a punch to his arm.

"Jerk."

"You called me that already."

"There's never one too many times, cause you're still a jerk." 013 mumbled, before walking in and closing the door. She sat down on his bed, while the Chief went ahead and hung up his towel that he had been holding. While he was doing this, 013 quietly observed him from her spot on the bed.

What interested her so much, and what really intrigued her with the Chief… Was how he just _beamed_ power, confidence _… Trustworthy-ness._ She could take just one look at him, no matter if he was in his armor or not, and immediately feel so much more at ease. And she couldn't put her finger on why. _Why_ he brought this relaxation to her. Just as he could do that, he also caused her flutters, her stomach flipping over itself several times. She could feel all jittery whenever he was nearby.

"So what's your reason for coming here?" His voice broke her reverie, and 013 looked back up, having been staring at her lap, meeting the gaze of the Chief. She let out a breath, before shifting slightly on the bed, finding a more comfortable position before answering.

"I need your opinion on something."

"Which is?"

"Well… Casey advised me to go for it, even though it feels wrong to do." 013 started, however she stopped when she saw how the Chief slightly tensed up.

"What did Casey say." Came the Chief's voice, and 013 felt herself frown a little, her brow dipping down.

"She said I should help those who put me in my godamn situation. They want me to make the Covenant A.I. talk. If I succeed, I get my life back." 013 didn't say anything else after that, for she was too busy wondering why the Chief had suddenly become so tense.

"We have alarming news, 013."

"... About?"

"Casey."

"What about Casey?"

"She might be part of your court martial."

At this, 013's frown deepened, and she pushed off the bed, walking up to the Chief, standing in front of him.

"What? What makes you say that?"

"Linda found her talking to an unknown source, mentioning the A.I., ONI, and your connection to Lasky and us."

"That… No, it couldn't have been her."

"We have her nametag on the recording."

"Stop! You're _accusing_ my friend for _helping the enemy!_ There's no way she would betray me like that!" 013 quickly turned away from the Chief, her whole body heaving from her quick breathing and quickly rising anger.

"We have it on record, 013. We searched her documents, which list ONI and the Board as connections."

"You're wrong…" 013 whispered. Her arms came to clutch around her, as she tried to mentally reassure her that was she was hearing, was _wrong, false._ It just couldn't be possible that Casey was playing a part in her possible court martial. It just couldn't.

"I don't believe you. Yes, you might've recorded her talking to an unknown source, mentioning ONI and the A.I. and everything, and _yes,_ she might be connected to the Board and ONI, but that doesn't automatically make her an enemy!" 013's voice rose, and she spun around once again, meeting the Chief's gaze head on.

"I'm going to accept their offer. I'll be leaving this ship indefinitely. Meanwhile, don't screw anything up." And with that, 013 left, leaving the Chief alone once again.

It was their third argument now - the first two having been when he first met the woman, and the second where he had accused her of hiding things from him.

He couldn't understand why they kept getting into these arguments… But one thing was clear; he was getting real tired of them.

* * *

 _ **Bam bam BAM, still have the talent of them cliffhangers (ish).**_


	19. Chapter 18 - Chilling Consequences

So, I'm unsure when this chapter will pan out the story-line, HOWEVER, it is planned to fit in there somewhere. So it has been written with care, and all things happening in it are intentional and meant to align with the plot. I won't take anymore of your time now, go ahead and read!

* * *

 **Chapter 18 – _Chilling Consequences_**

The air was freezingly cold – well, if 013 had anything to say about it. And clearly, not to mention _obviously_ , the word "freezingly" wasn't part of any English dictionary.

But 013 couldn't give less of a damn about whether the word was a legitimate one or not - all she needed was for the purpose of the word to be communicated – and it was.

"I don't know how many times I have reminded you, Tutes, but why don't you ever bring a scarf with you when it's cold out? You forget it _every time_ and I don't know how you do it. I just don't." Jeff gestured wildly with his hands, his frustration with his best friend evident.

"Hell if I know, it's like my brain thinks that I won't need it, when it's kinda obvious that I do. Why can't you act like a gentleman and give me _yours_?" 013 asked, her gaze shifting to his. Her grey orbs contained withheld mischief, and Jeff only narrowed his eyes at her.

"I might be your best friend, Tutes, but I'm not your charity case victim. Go find someone else that's willing to hand over their scarf, because I sure am not."

013 just huffed at his reply and shrugged her shoulders.

' _Sharing means you care, but he doesn't share, so obviously he doesn't care. What a douche-friend.'_

The hot air vaporized quickly in the chilly evening air. She was at least smart enough to bring gloves with her, or else she would've turned back almost immediately to wander back to the helichopper.

Speaking of helichoppers – why did people always feel the _urge_ to correct her on her ' _grammatical errors_ '? It wasn't as if she _didn't know_ that she was using incorrect grammar when speaking, because she did. She just felt that the English words that _were_ legit, didn't suit her purposes in terms of communication. Helichopper to helicopter, freezingly to freezing, bestfriendship to friendship… Why do they always have to point out those words as if they were flaws? They are nothing but creative, but apparently, people didn't appreciate her sense of creativity as much as she did.

' _Ugh, people suck.'_

She shifted her focus back to the scenery before her, not wanting to see Jeff's inviting, 'the red carpet-red' scarf any longer, lest she would try steal it from him.

And Jeff, when pushed a little too far, acts like a five-year-old who got his lego-car trampled by his sibling.

Or something along those lines. Either way, she wasn't feeling up for that, and so let him have his stupid, precious scarf to himself – if only to avoid a temper tantrum.

And just like he said, she would just have to find some other poor sap that would lend her their scarf. Couldn't be too hard could it?

 **Time Skip –**

She regretted ever saying that it couldn't be too hard. Because it _was._

It was _every_ bit of _hard_ there was, and now she was left wandering alone, and rather aimlessly in the winter-cold air, her fingers slightly freezing to death despite her gloves, and her nose as red as Rudolph the Red-nosed deer's. In this pace, she would end up being sick for at least a week, probably even looking at more than that. Perhaps it would be two weeks, or worse, _three._

' _Fucking shit.'_

She brought her hands up to her face, holding them close to each other before blowing hot air into her cupped hands. The air chased away little of the chilling bite that was settled at the end of her fingertips, and she let out a pleasant sigh at the sensation.

Of course, there was a reason why she was still out here, now alone, Jeff having stayed on the ship after the supply run. They had been tasked with transporting supplies from the ship to the base stationed on this frozen icicle-planet. She wasn't joking when saying that – this planet was permanently frozen, even during 'summer months'.

There is no summer to be had here, definitely not.

She actually felt a little remorse for those that had to work here, but then again, she also felt gratitude because _she_ wasn't one of them.

She was happy and content serving on the _Infinity,_ with Captain Lasky as her, well, _Captain_ , but also as her Commander.

A smile tugged at her lips at the thought of Lasky. She was so glad for having him in her life, he was the rock she could lean against when shit got a little too rough for her to handle alone. Not to mention that he was a father-figure to her. She had never had a father, and so he was the closest to her ever having that, so he wasn't just a Captain, or just a Commander – no, he was a _father._

And that thought, no matter how much she warped it, caused a zing of fear to shoot through her, mainly because she was unsure if Lasky felt the same, as if she was the daughter he's never had, or just merely as a soldier, one of his subordinates.

She let the thought go, heaving a sigh as she dismissed it. She wouldn't over-think nor overanalyze their relationship to each other, lest she was bound to believe the most pessimistic reason.

Oh, right, the reason why she was walking alone outside the base's premises.

She needed some time off – some time off, and get away from it all, the base, the people, the ship, _everything._ She just needed to be alone for a little while, and not having someone breathing over her shoulder or monitoring her every move. Such was the life of a soldier, which was why she took the opportunity of shore-leave. Sure, it was a very _short_ shore-leave, but shore-leave nonetheless. She would take what she got. Soldiers don't have the luxury of declining these opportunities, for they were rare and far in-between.

013 absently rubbed her gloved hands against each other, as she directed her eyes towards the snow-covered sky. It was so different to look up at the sky from a planet's view than from a spaceship's window. Everything was so… _Distant,_ and _surreal_. Stars twinkled with light from afar, but up close, they were fiery balls of hydrogen and helium – not at all the same view as one would get from planet-view.

And if she were to be honest… Stars looked more beautiful when woven intricately over the sky than seeing them floating in the empty vastness of space.

Stars were really complex things, even though they might seem simple. From orbit, stars weren't that interesting - as they are inhabitable, being hot as hell spheres, but at the same time, while one is perceiving them as nothing special at all, there is someone somewhere, seeing the _same_ stars, and believing them to be wonders of life, a unique canvas that is endless and untouchable as it is unreachable.

But for the one watching them up-close, they're perceived as _dangerous,_ because getting too close means a break in the hull, or the loss of a life.

So for 013, stars were almost the very definition of complexity, because they are paradoxical. Paradoxical in the sense that despite being a single, floating, fiery ball of hydrogen and helium, its seen as both harmless and dangerous.

The crunching brought 013 back to reality, and she glanced around her surroundings, only to discover that she was almost back at the ship.

' _Guess my temporary shore-leave is over.'_

She neared the vicinity of the ship, but something in her peripherals distracted her from advancing any further, and she came to a slow stop. Before her, just a couple of meters away, stood Jeff, along with the Spartans. Amongst the crowd, the one her eyes subconsciously first sought out, was-

' _Master Chief'_.

He was standing there, his arms crossed in front of his chest in that typical fashion of his, with a facial expression that was as close to relaxed as she had ever seen him. She immediately felt awestruck, for it was such a _rare sight_ to see him look so calm and collected, so _at ease._ The tips of her lips curved upwards, and a light blush settled on her cheeks. She knew she was really checking him out, the five-o'clock shadow on his jaw and slight curve of his lips, signifying his mind's state of serenity, causing the fluttery feeling within her to erupt.

He was looking _so attractive right now,_ and her mind was yelling at her to just… Approach and ravish, as vulgar as that sounds. But she couldn't, _wouldn't,_ because hello, _reality check¸_ there was no chance in any universe that he would reciprocate her possible feelings that she had for him. There just wasn't, and it broke her heart into teeny tiny pieces every time she was reminded of that fact. It hurt, and it hurt _a lot,_ but such was her reality. It was harsh, it was cruel, and it was full of absolute _misery._

Why else would Fate decide that she is to be attracted to the one and only _Master Chief,_ the infamous Spartan-117, _savior of Humanity - and not just once, not just twice, but thrice. Probably ever more times if she were to do the math._

She felt the prickles of pain in the left cavity of her chest, supposedly where her _heart is,_ however almost immediately she pushed the impeding pain and grief away. Now was not the time to mourn her beyond shattered heart.

Suddenly, an idea sparked in her head, as she wiped snow off her shoulder, and a wicked grin spread across her face. Of course, to disturb the Chief when he was seemingly relaxed for once was a bad decision in general, but her being a mischievous individual, she couldn't stop herself from conjuring up _the_ perfect plan of ambushing the Chief. If only to exact some revenge for causing her so much pain, even though he was completely oblivious to it.

So, she set out her plan, and then followed it through.

The distant _thwack_ of the snowball hitting the back of the Chief's neck, had everyone nearby come to a stop, their surprised gazes shifting to the Chief, who looked as perplexed as a man like him could, before his head turned to meet her gaze. They were stuck in a stare-off, and 013 felt the tips of her lips twitching. However, their staring contest was broken by Jeff, who called out to her.

"Not be _that_ guy, Tutes, but… you should probably run now." And just after Jeff said so, did reality speed back up and 013 bounded off into the forest, not without throwing one last glance at the Chief's face. And boy, did she regret doing that, for now, she was debating whether or not her decision had been a good one.

' _Probably not.'_

Just then, a slope seemingly coming from _nowhere,_ caused her to trip, and she rolled down it, the snow wrapping around her as she rolled. However, knowing she had a _Spartan_ after her, had her quickly standing up and continuing forward, throwing herself behind the nearest thickest tree. She felt her heart beating rapidly under her rib cage.

' _Ooooh man.'_

Upon hearing the Chief nearing, she felt her breath hitch. His footfalls slowed down as he investigated the place, and she was doing everything in her power to _not_ fall apart.

"You know, I can see the footprints in the snow."

' _... F_ _uck.'_

"… S-so? It's not like I'm hiding behind this particular tree, and even if I am, who knows if I got a snow forte built around me, with snowballs ready to go to rain hell down on you?" 013 replied with, meanwhile she also tried to convince herself that the reason why her voice shook, was because of the chilly snow, and _not_ the fact that she had a vengeful Spartan after her.

Which kind of was the case.

She received no reply from the Chief, and the snow-covered vicinity fell quiet, only the slight hissing of the breeze disturbing the silence.

013 shivered a little, the adrenaline pumping through her body, much in-tact with how her heart was beating. It was beating a thousand miles per minute, and she truly felt a little afraid now. She had no clue what Master Chief was capable of, and so she was _definitely_ starting to regret her spur-of-the-moment snowball throw…

"Why the hell did I do that? Who is stupid enough to throw a _damn snowball_ at the _Chief?_ " She whispered harshly to herself. The saying ' _revenge is a dish best served cold_ _'_ , was quite fitting in her predicament at the moment. She wrapped her hands around herself, and silently urged herself to look beyond the tree, so she could get a clear image of where the Chief was - because right now, sound wasn't a viable choice. So she slowly leaned out from her cover, her head slowly peeking out from behind the thick tree.

And she saw…

Nothing.

She saw nothing but snow.

' _What? Where'd he go?'_

"Looking for someone?" Came then a voice from behind, and 013's whole body instantly froze, her muscles coiling and becoming tense.

"I'm screwed, aren't I." She said, her voice barely rising above a whisper.

"You are." The Chief's voice spoke confidently, and no sooner than a few seconds later, was she air-borne, the Chief lifting her up like a sack of lightweight potatoes. A scream erupted from her lips, and her eyes widened in terror.

" _Have mercy!"_ She screeched, but the request fell on deaf ears. Her body was sent flying and she crash-landed in a thick pile of snow, _face-first._ Her mouth filled up with the frozen liquid, and she spouted, spitting the vile, frigid coldness out of her mouth. 013 flipped over to her back, fully intent to stand up and perform her revenge, _act two¸_ but she never got the chance. As soon as she had rolled over to lie on her back, the Chief had bent down and placed his hand on her midriff, pressing her back down.

"You're not doing that." He said, and 013 gulped.

"Yes, I am." She responded with, and tried to wriggle free.

Without success.

"Ugh." She thudded back down into the snow, her gaze travelling to look up at the sky, small plumes of chilled air from her breathing rising up into the sky, vaporizing.

"How long you planning on keeping me here?" 013 asked, still keeping her gaze pointed upwards. She didn't want to see the Chief's face, knowing that she'd probably see some form of smugness.

"Long enough."

"Wha-" She never got to finished her word before she was pulled upwards, and then face-planting against the Chief's buff chest.

" _Ouch._ Have you considered that you're more akin to a wall of bricks than a pillow?" Her hands automatically landed on his chest as well, and as her fingers dug into the fabric of her jacket, she felt something else - a much _softer_ fabric.

' _Is this what a think it is?'_

She cracked open an eye, and saw the colour blue.

' _Yupp, it's a scarf.'_

She fingered the material, before glancing up, a mischievous smirk on her lips. She felt his arms, that were wrapped lightly around her, and pushed a little backwards.

There was no resistance.

Meaning, he would hold her back when she grabbed the scarf and ran away with it…

' _Hah.'_

Before he could come to an understanding of what she had planned, 013 quickly pulled at the scarf, bringing it with her as she pushed backwards and out of his grip.

"I'll borrow this!" She hollered, and took off in the direction from which she came from.

However…

She didn't get to far as the Chief was quick to grab the end of the long, blue scarf, and powerfully pulling it backwards. 013 flew backwards, and abruptly careened back into the snow, her body not prepared for the sudden tug. The Chief walked over then, and crouched low, _again._ This time 013 glanced at his face, and she saw a small, smug smirk tugging at his lips.

"This scarf is mine." 013 huffed, and furrowed her brows.

"But I'm freezing."

"Not my problem."

"Yes, it is."

"How, exactly, is it my problem?" The Chief then asked, arching an eyebrow at her. 013 only stared at him, before huffing and pouting.

"It just is!"

"No."

"You suck." The Chief just chuckled, before he bent down, leaning extremely close to her. 013 felt her throat go dry, and it was suddenly much more difficult to swallow.

The Chief tilted his head, his eyes slowly travelling over her face. 013 felt her mouth open up, letting out pants of air, and the Chief's gaze momentarily stopped at her lips. She felt her stomach churn, and her body felt all jittery.

Then, he did something she never expected, and it took her by a _hellova_ surprise.

The Chief fully leaned in, and she felt… she felt _something_ touch the corner of her lips. The warmth from that spot zinged throughout her body, and 013 stopped breathing. Her eyes widened, and she was unsure whether or not she was _alive._ Because, did the Chief _just...?_

The Chief pulled away, but not before his eyes shifted upwards, meeting her own. Her grey orbs were swirling with emotion, and she saw in the Chief's own eyes how he at the moment had his defences down. This was _him,_ without any arsenal.

The moment was broken when he so suddenly _lifted her up,_ and hefted her up onto his shoulder, like _a sack of potatoes_.

Immediately, 013 burst out, protesting.

" _What are you doing!? Let me down!_ " She screeched, but the Chief only shifted his grip on her, his arm wrapping snuggly around her while he only chuckled lowly. His chuckle reverberated through him and into her body, causing pleasant tingles.

"You were defeated, and I'm taking my price." At that, 013's eyes widened and she immediately stopped fighting, as her mouth dropped open in surprise, a silent ' _oh_ ' stuck on her lips. The Chief glanced at her from his peripherals, and his smile broadened.

"I know another way to shut you up, 013." He said then, the silent ' _don't act surprised_ ', at the end of his sentence. At that, 013 frowned, sending him a glare.

"I bet you don't." Her arms crossed in front of her, and she shifted her gaze to stare stonily ahead, the frown still on her face. The Chief stopped in his tracks, his eyes fully shifting to her as he moved his head to look at her. However, 013 _knew_ what he meant, hell, _he had just done so not even a minute ago._

He had… He had…

"You have the tendency to lose every time when going up against me, now is no different." The Chief said, before lifting his free hand to grasp her chin, forcing her face to align with his. Her eyes were caught by his, and suddenly she felt that same warmth from before, press against her face.

This time however, it was against her _own lips._

* * *

 **GIMME YOUR THOUGHTS, HEYO.**

 **P.S.** I was actually rather torn between if I wanted this to happen or not, but I was too giddy and I felt you all deserved it. So, I hope you won't be too disappointed that it won't happen in an _'actual'_ chapter. If you are, then I'm sorry (not sorry).


	20. Chapter 19 - The Art of Decision-making

So... yeah. Hi guys, and gals. And non-binary. It's been a while hasn't it? I'll explain just in a short while why I've been gone for so long, but first I want to express my immensely and ever eternal gratitude to those who wrote personal PMs to me and in this story's reviews that this is a story none of you want to see discontinued. All of you find this to be a great read, and for some even more so. For some it's an alternative reality you can just escape to when actual life just hits you a little too hard. Yeah, I've been there, many times. Stories for me is my escape when I need it, while others might have gaming, taking a walk, doing sports, whatever is your sanctuary.

But yeah. I'm just so damn _**thankful**_ for all of you. And I mean it, ALL of YOU people. You've just kept me going by going to such lengths to express that I shouldn't give up on this. And I won't. I never had a thought to give the story up, only a lengthy pause because life became a real shitstorm for me.

Long story short really, I've suffered longtime from deep depression and anxiety. During fall and winter my mental health took a downhill ride. A 90 degree downhill ride. So I ended up at the doctors who subscribed medication to me, because I wouldn't else be able to handle myself. It was really bad but now that I'm on medication it feels a lot better. Instead of having to repair myself from every breakdown, I can now actually put energy on fixing myself back together, to change my otherwise pessimistic way of thinking to more optimistic thinking. So yeah. That's what has been going down. That's why I couldn't write any new chapters, my strength was below zero. But now I'm back.

And I bring a chapter with me as well. It might not be the best chapter, but it fills a couple gaps and will act background to the coming chapter, which is soon to be done actually. So possibly at the end of this week another chapter will be up.

You all are just so amazing, I hope I can somehow do you guys right. Now let's all enjoy this long-loooong awaited chapter.

 **Disclaimer:** _Oh? You thought I would miss the disclaimer? Oooh no, it's gonna keep comin'. Latest news for Halo 6 is that it'll be at least another year before anything else will be announced. Gaah. I'm frustrated. Mah heart, mah soul longs for it._

* * *

 **Chapter 20 - _The Art of Decision-making_**

Endless, roundabout arguments, those are the worst. But arguments that end without any actual _ending?_ They're worser than worst. And just with her luck, 013 had just achieved that kind of status when it comes to the topic of arguments.

And yes, it was with the Chief. Again. But it wasn't as if she could help herself, he had straight out _accused Casey_ for working _with the enemy!_ There was no way she could accept that statement without any counter-argument as to why that conclusion was so utterly _stupid_.

013 huffed angrily as she stomped through the corridors, feet making unnecessary loud noises, just to ease the building frustration within her. Most of all she probably should find a sparring partner, just to ease that tension, however those she had previously sparred with weren't exactly… _optional_ at this time.

' _Speaking of… I still have another apology to make… but maybe not today. Apparently today is not my day to do kind things like that, or else it'll go all to shit.' 0_ 13 muttered quietly to herself, slight irritation lacing her inner voice. She turned the corner when the hallway she was currently walking down ended, keeping up the same pace as before. However, in doing so she received too little time to prepare for the impact with another individual, as they both clashed into each other. 013 had to steady herself against the wall while the other counterpart wasn't as lucky. The individual straight up hit the floor, and she heard a pained _oomph._

' _Hah, he probably hit the tailbone, serves the person right.'_ 013 muttered, while a small gleeful smirk showcased itself on her lips. What? Of course she was gleeful, it wasn't _her_ down on the floor.

"I guess there are better ways to say hi." The person spoke up, now having risen from said floor. 013 pushed off the wall and brushed herself off before looking up to identify just who she had bumped into to, or rather, who had bumped into _her._

And it turns out that she wasn't exactly too happy about who it was. Of course it was none other than the poor sucker who'd been dragged into Team Airhead and Co, doing their bidding since he just couldn't say 'no'. 013 wondered idly if the word 'no' even was in his language library. ' _Wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't'._

"Yeah... Bumping into walls as if it were bros with me, and you hugging floors for a living doesn't make for such a good first impression, now does it. But not like it'd be my first impression of _you,_ seeing as we have our history together, no?" 013 replied, in a snarky way. She couldn't keep herself from being a little prissy, because he was still part of the group that has terrorized her so. And it seemed he also picked up on the tone, as he scratched his head awkwardly, unsure how to play out the situation that was before him and 013.

"No... it certainly doesn't..." He then quieted down, even more unsure now on how to carry on this conversation, as it was just getting more awkward by the second. At this notion, 013 just let out a tired sigh. Might as well get it dealt with, so she could continue living with the little peace she had left.

"Okay look buddy, I've still not forgiven you for what you did, nor do I know if or when I'll be able to do that but, being this stiff and _awkwardly_ that we are right now, isn't really working. So let's go with this yeah; you're on alright terms with me. I won't go punching you in the face spontaneously or something like that. The same can't be said about your _pals_ however. They can still fucking _suck it._ "

With that, 013 let out a heavy breath of air. She could now check this guy off her list to worry about. She knew he'd do no damage to her from now on out, the most he would do would be to annoy her but she was alright with that. The ODST before her gave a slow nod, looking her in the eyes, a serious look taking over his facial futures.

"That's alright with me, too. As for my… my _pals,_ I'm not really with them like that anymore… After they did what they did, and that I just followed along with it… It was sorta a wake-up call for me. I guess you could say I'm ashamed of my actions, but from now on I won't be manipulated like that again. I'm sorry."

013 blinked, not really prepared for the non-physical wall of text spoken verbally that just hit her ears.

"Well, uh…" 013 reached for words, trying to figure out what _the hell_ she should reply to him. It was the deep kind of stuff too, and it made her feel slightly uncomfortable. She didn't really _know_ the guy, yet here he's spitting out words like _I'm ashamed_ and _I'm sorry_. It was pretty much like a bucket of cold water being poured over her head, short-circuiting her brain.

"I guess it's aight. So you did listen to what I said to you, that your pals most definitely aren't a worthy company to keep. Hopefully you'll keep to that track, it'd be a shame to see you go back. You know how they are now." 013 said, deciding to be earnest in her reply. Because, if she was him in her shoes, she'd probably want someone to lift to her that the company she kept would be shitty to continue keeping. So she just shared a personal morale that she follows herself, hoping it would perhaps help him out to avoid crappy-ass people like those he'd had. And apparently, her earnest reply wasn't too expected, because a shocked expression overtook his facial futures.

"Well, no. I certainly don't plan on keeping similar company. I uh, thanks for it. For not being an ass to me despite what I did, I mean. Now, I won't hold you up any longer."

013 just nodded in reply, then watched how the ODST turned and continued on his way. However, before she let him get too far, 013 called out to him.

"I'm called Tutes. For later use, I guess." The ODST stopped and turned around slightly, looking at her, before a small smile curved the tips of his lips.

"Yeah, I know. If it's one thing I never did, it was to think to call you anything else but. Perhaps 013 cause that's your tag. And I'm called Tucker, for later use." And with that, he turned back around and continued on his way, and all too soon left her view of sight.

' _Tucker huh…'_ 013 thought quietly to herself. She got the picture of him not being all that bad, people are made to make mistakes at times, even if some of those mistakes cause worse consequences that others.

' _He might turn out to be a good guy in the future, who's to say he won't.'_

And with that, 013 decidedly put the conversation behind her, not all too keen to mull it over currently. Instead, she set her mind to continue on what she was doing, which was, if she remembered correctly, heading to the gym. Ventilating her issues and pent up irritation and anger seems like a good plan if she is to avoid punching people that started to annoy her, even if for just a _second._

So she set out to retrieve her duffelbag, packing it, and entered the gym just minutes after. Later on, she knew she would have to speak to the Board again, to tell them she was accepting the mission. But for now she would think of something else _but._

She ignored any and all thoughts that were connected to the word _Spartan._

 **Time Skip -**

A couple hours later and 013 had freshened up from her workout and her body felt drained. Completely. She had really gone for it once hitting the gym locations, letting loose everything that bothered her, her anger boiling down just a little, keeping it just simmering rather than cascading and raging like a pot of water left too long on the stove.

Currently, she was heading back to her room to drop off her duffelbag before facing the Board. Something she much rather would avoid but alas, she could not. She was leaving the ship soon… On indefinite time. She felt her heart clench uncomfortably, pain rushing through her body at the thought of leaving Jeff behind. And admittedly, she was also hurt by the fact that she'd leave on bad terms with the Chief… and Frederic. But it couldn't be helped. The situation she was in was her own, she'd caused it.

Well, not _all._ Her disagreement with the Chief was not only her to blame for, but he himself as well. Another zing of pain shot through her, and this time she had to lift her hand and press it over her left chest cavity in an attempt to calm the hurt that filled her heart. It was a very difficult situation she was in, and she didn't like it one bit. In fact, she _hated it. Hated it_ so much. But it was reality, and there was no escaping it. The Board kept fucking her over, Blue Team kept being a question mark in her life, and Casey was in the grey-zone.

There was just one person she knew would always be there. Who'd always support her, no questions asked.

Of course it was Jeff. Her rock to lean on if she'd even need one. ' _I should seek him out after I have talked with the Board…'_

She didn't hurry her step when making her way to the Command Deck. She knew it meant the faster she went, the faster she'd be off the ship, and it wasn't something she particularly wanted. But, it was also kind of an escape… She'd be able to do _something,_ more than just hitting the gym and talking to friends and start fights. Hell, she'd go so far to call it a _mission._ After all, she _was_ leaving the ship, and nine out of ten times that she left ship was to go on missions.

Although, this wasn't exactly a favourable mission but hey, it was something else to do. And oh, she might get her life back in completing it so the benefits were definitely some nice benefits.

She finally reached the Command Deck, where she asked one of the assistants there to tell the Board she had arrived. In less than a minute she was asked to follow along to one of the empty rooms, where the Board would meet her.

She had her backs turned to them when they arrived, five minutes after she'd been sent there. She had mentally prepared herself for the meeting while waiting, schooling her facial futures into neutral-looking, and her breathing calm. She couldn't show them any signs of weakness. She had to show that _she_ was the important one here, not them. They were like sharks honestly, seeking out any weakness that even shows itself just a tiny little bit.

"Alright 013, what is your decision?"

' _Ah, right onto it then. So it'll be.'_

013 let out a quiet whisper of a breath before turning around, looking them all in the eye. It was the same three who had approached her with the mission and she wasn't too excited to see them again. She was still angry at them for blackmailing her, forcing her to either do their bidding or be court-marshalled. There were no escapes from it, and so thus she was presently here. Not that she wanted to. Just to point that out. It's an important fact.

"Right to it, eh? Of course. It's how you do things, right?" 013 couldn't help but at least let loose one snarky comment. She couldn't break tradition now could she? It'd be a shame to. The three men at the entrance just looked back with a deadpan expression. She could read the irritation in their body language and she smiled smugly on the inside.

' _Hah, got 'em.'_

"No answer? That's… actually not so surprising. Anyhow, I'm here to tell you that I'm accepting the mission. I do have questions that I want answered beforehand, however." 013 now gave each of them a serious look, to send them a message that time for any potential jokes or blackmailing would affect her answer, not that they were the time to _ever_ joke. One wrong step from them though, and she would pull away their chance, taking on the court-martial anyway. Her patience for bullshit was fragile, and should most definitely not be tried.

"Will there be any A.I. specialists on-board for assistance? She started asking, them only having sent her a short nod instead of replying an actual reply. _'No surprise there.'_

"Yes, there will be technicians there as well if assistance is necessary."

"How is this… whatever procedure planned to pan out? Is there a room of sorts or a lab or something that I'll be sent to?"

"There will only be a room at first. If you deem a lab necessary however, there will be one available for you."

"And what if I fail this mission?"

"All your benefits will be lost and your court-martial will continue as scheduled."

At this, 013 turned silent. While her face was schooled to be neutral, her mind was everything else _but._ Within her mind, there was chaos, barely controlled. She felt fear, a pit in her stomach, deep as hell and never-ending.

' _What am I to do… Court-martial will be a shit-war, with me on the losing side. But doing this? Moving ship? Leave behind Jeff…? Ooh, he's never gonna forgive me for this. He'll hate my guts… But better that and getting a chance to see him again than ending up getting regulated or some shit…'_

013 then made up her mind. She knew what she had to do, even though a part of her heart felt like she was making a mistake, a searing and heavy pain aching within. But at the same time, her defiance kept her mind's incoming breakdown at bay. At least for a little while. When she was done here, she'd most likely lock herself within her room to let loose the ever-building emotional storm within.

"Okay… I'll accept. When will I leave?"

"Immediately."

013 almost showed a reaction of shock but reigned it in at the last second. She could _not_ show them that they affected her, in any kind of way.

"Do I get to say goodbye to people?"

"No, you will not have the time for that. You'll have to pack your things and be present within the hour at the Flight Bay."

And with that, the company left, leaving her alone in the room. Her mind was kind of blank as of now, but she knew something was incoming. Which _also_ meant…

Head quick as fuck to the dorm.

So 013 no more but rushed with hurried steps through the corridors and stood tapping her foot erratically on the elevator-ride down. And no sooner within two minutes did she find herself within her dorm, her door slamming shut. Now she was free to let loose the chaos that had built up within in her.

' _Fuck fuck fuck… Jeff's gonna hate me forever, and I'll lose my only rock and forever best friend. I can't… I can't, I don't know what to do… Keep yourself together Tutes, you got this. He won't hate you forever… just for an eternity or so. Shit-fuck, and Casey? What's she gonna say?'_

Her thoughts trampled themselves, one thought overriding the other, never leaving a nanosecond to the silence.

' _... Wonder how Blue Team will react when they know I'm gone… Chief has probably already told them by now… But they got 'Stacey' now, what do they need me for…'_

It struck a cord within her at that thought. Her facial futures twisted into that of sorrow and pain. She felt something wet slowly run down her cheek. Upon swiping her hand across her cheek did she discover that she had been crying, fallen tears leaving wet trails down her cheeks.

' _Chief…'_

She didn't even want to imagine how it's going to be, and _feel like_ , when the Chief no longer will be in her presence daily. The thought of that only weighed her down even further, and she sank down to the floor, back against the door. She sat like that for a while, just trying to recollect her currently shattered mind. There was so much turmoil going on within her, that she barely knew how to fix it all, to make her mind calm down. So many emotions, so many ' _what if's'_.

She couldn't remember how life was like before the Chief entered it. How is she suppose to revert back to that?


	21. Chapter 20 - Sudden Newsflash

Alright! It's been a few days past the weekend but I bring you an important chapter to this story! Hope you'll like this one, as it marks a path that this story will walk. I'm still so grateful for your support, and it's amazing to see that people still find this story amazing, and that new followers come along as it continues - my heart just cracks open 'cause its so much love.

You all are amazing, okay, don't EVER forget that 3

High-five to the followers by the way, ya awesome!

And the revieweeeeeers:

 **Shadowfuse** \- Yeah, it's really a bitch to fight. I'm just happy I'm not so low anymore, it's really been some rollercoaster-ride. And yeah, her armor will get more showtime later, no worries about that. As for characterization, thank you! I really try to give them all a little spotlight and show that they're more than just simple characters. They too deserve some sort of depth, in my opinion.

 **Moves of a dreamer** \- That I am! And I'm not ready to leave for another lengthy pause either!

 **mimimi** \- Here's to a normal-length chapter, and hopefully it satiates at least to some degree!

Pff, and of course the disclaimer, du'h.

P.S. I'm currently tired while posting this, are there any mistakes, blame my droopy eyes.

 **Disclaimer:** _Great news - they're at least in-cooperating split-screen once again, let us rejoice!_

* * *

 **Chapter 20 –** _ **Sudden Newsflash**_

A day had passed by and 013 no longer were on the _Infinity._ No, she was elsewhere, having boarded the new ship just yesterday. She had to pack her things and leave immediately, no good-byes or anything. She planned on sending them a message later however, informing them that she was indefinitely gone.

013 let out a sigh and swept her fingers through her hair. She was really beginning to feel stressed out, her body and mind unwilling to cooperate. It wasn't all too surprising, in fact, she had been expecting it to happen. She was under a lot of pressure and had had quite a shitty time as of late. Stuff constantly happened, for worse or for good - but mostly for worse.

' _Ugh, can't I just… fast-forward time to where shit's fine and dandy?'_

Her mind reminded her then after that thought that _nope_ , the time for peace was not now or anywhere in the near future.

' _Thanks for the reminder, brain. You're just a cheerful ray of sunshine in my life, aren't you.'_

She was sitting outside the room in which she was soon to enter, the orb-thing-A.I. already inside. They were going to let her in when whatever it was that they were currently doing in there was done. They were sure taking their sweet time.

' _So they can be rushed to have me here ASAP but can't be any slower while preparing. What kind of logic is that?'_

She stretched her arms upwards, her back popping. She let out a satisfied sound. It was nice stretching her back, her whole right side had a dull aching. She concluded that it probably was the bed, as it had been uncomfortable to sleep on. It wasn't her bed and thus, her back wasn't used to it. Which was clear in the way her right side kept nagging her, pulsating now and then from having slept bad and in a weird position.

After 15 minutes or so of waiting did the doors finally open. A man with a tech-outfit exited through the door and waved her over. 013 rose and walked forwards, thinking _finally._

"Alright, so everything is prepared. The A.I. is going to be on a pedestal that sends electric currents from time to time. We're trying to see if we can jolt it awake. But if it needs to be turned off there's a button on the side. It's the red one, you won't miss it. We've also proofed all technology within, in case it tries to break into our system using the technology as a backdoor. You ready?" He ended with, sending her a questioning gaze. 013 took a breath, and nodded her head.

"yeah, yeah I'm ready." 013 said, and the man entered back inside, her following after. Once she got inside 013 got her first overall glance of the interior of the room. Her eyes travelled over the steel walls, spying the logo of the UNSC on them, as well as the cameras located high up in the corners of said room. The tiles of the floor were of smooth steel, with gridlocks on top. Besides the interior, there was just a pedestal-like thing in the middle, where the orb was currently placed upon. Just like the man had said.

It had been a while since she'd seen it, the orb, but it looked exactly like it had the first time she saw it - its matte-like shell with a thin, horizontal line following all around it. Probably how it opened itself or something 013 guessed.

"This is where I leave you. We'll be watching through the cameras that are located here within. If there is anything you need or want to ask, just wave at the camera and we'll send someone in."

And with that, the man gave her a short nod and wished her good luck. _'Yeah, I'm gonna need that.'_

013 stood in her spot for a few more seconds, just pondering on what the hell she should do now. She was no tech expert, and definitely didn't know much about A.I.s. During her experimentation period they never really taught her anything worthwhile on . The only thing she knew was what she had seen in a couple files. She knew they were implanted and that they could deteriorate. But how to communicate with them?

No damn clue.

' _Gotta start somehow…'_

And so 013 slowly approached the pedestal, her whole body feeling uneasy. It wasn't as if she didn't have reason to, the history she has with the orb is what started her shitty rollercoaster-ride to begin with, and is the reason she's currently here, in this room. Just about everything connected to it involves attempted murder and the Board fucking her over countless times. _Of course_ she feels uneasy about it all. Seeing the orb flooded her mind with those memories, it all flashing behind her eyelids. She had to calm herself if she was to get anything done here.

"Alright… let's see if I can get you to talk…"

013 reached out her hand hesitantly, before finally touching the surface of the orb with the tips of her fingers. Underneath her fingertips she could feel a slight humming, along with soft electrical currents pulsating through its surface.

' _Huh… this feels… weird, but not in a bad way. are fascinating things, I wonder if I'll ever learn how they work.'_

013 walked slowly around in a circle, her fingers following along. She felt over its surface, fingers wandering. She could feel the zing of the electrical current that the man had mentioned. Thinking it's kind of unnecessary jolting the A.I, and that it might actually just irritate more than help, she pressed the red button on the side, turning it off.

She then proceeded to place her whole palm against the orb, feeling the oddly warm surface. She had expected it to be cold.

The humming suddenly started to sound louder, no longer something she could feel, but now also _hear._ The pulsating heightened, and it vibrated against the flat of her hand. 013 let out breathy gasp, not prepared for the new sensations.

The pulsating then started to change its pattern, heightening before slowing down, and then repeating it all.

' _What is going on… ?'_ 013 wondered, her brow furrowing in confusion. She wasn't sure what to make of this… this pattern the orb was emitting. Was this its way to communicate?

013 placed her other hand flat against it, testing her theory that touch might be the reason it was changing in its patterns. A few seconds ticked by, and the same pattern kept repeating itself, unaffected of her second hand.

' _Well then that proves that theory wrong.'_

013 then let out a slow breath, and lifted the orb from its spot on the pedestal. An electric current shot through the palms of her hands and down into the pedestal, and 013 almost dropped the orb. Her eyes widened of surprise. She was _not_ prepared for that kind of action. Then suddenly, the line that went around it lit up, and it cracked open. The upper half of its shell hovered above it, and 013 observed that within it, there was only a swirling energy that could be seen, as it seemed it didn't want to take on any shape. It was just… pure energy.

' _This is amazing, just as it's a liiittle frightening…'_

Unsure of what to do now, 013 glanced at the cameras, before rotating into place where they could see the least. She wasn't going to let those assholes get what they wanted so easily. If she couldn't fuck with them on a personal scale then at least she'd try annoying them as much as possible. It was the least she could do. 013 hummed in thought, thinking of her next course of action.

"Do you… understand what I'm saying?" 013 asked tentatively. She had no clue if it even could speak or understand their language, seeing it was a _Covenant_ A.I.

There was just silence in reply, and 013 began to think that the answer to her question was _no,_ but then suddenly the humming she first had heard before it opened, started to echo within her brain.

' _What the hell…'_

' _Crrrkk… sccrk… Y… es.'_

013 blinked slowly, trying to comprehend what was currently going on.

' _Did it just… say yes?'_

'… _Yes.'_

So it speaks, telepathically. 013 wondered slightly how that was possible.

' _I'm an advanced A.I.'_

Came the reply to her thought. 013 shifted the orb slightly, glancing at its core.

And it felt like the energy within was looking right back her. She didn't know how but, something within her mind simply told her that _yes_ , it could see her.

"You can't speak out loud, like, verbally?" 013 asked then.

' _No, I cannot. Well, I haven't tried but I rather keep conversation to those it concerns.'_

' _Well, that makes sense.'_

"But is it okay if I speak out loudly, or do you want to keep it telepathic?"

' _That works fine, too.'_

"Okay so… May I ask why you opened up to me, and not the other guys?"

' _I felt their aura. It wasn't a particularly good aura, and so I did not want to reveal myself. You however, I recollect you bringing me with you from my previous location, at the Covenant base. And your aura speaks of goodness, and truth. I decided that you are worthy opening up to.'_

"Aw, that's so sweet of you. Thank you. I try my best to be humble, but it's not always that easy..."

' _No, I can tell that from what you have experienced. You haven't had a good time as of late.'_

"Uh... How'd you know that?" 013 asked, a little bewildered. She hadn't mentioned anything about her past to the A.I so it would be impossible for it to know. And she didn't know whether or not she liked the intrusion, her life was her life.

' _I can tap into living beings' memory core. It is an ability that ancient have, and it has passed onto me.'_

Now _this_ was getting interesting. Ancient A.I.s? She thought those were myths, as they had been told to be almighty and everything, much like Gods if there was any word to describe them. And she might forgive the A.I for rooting through her memories… She did get some quality information in return.

' _I am advanced A.I but I always haven't been. Are you in for a history lesson, 013?'_

Woah. Yes, she was _so ready._ This was juicy, and she was completely enthralled to get to know more of all… _this_. And the meaning of _ancient…_ Did that mean ever more advanced that the Humanity currently have developed?

"Totally."

' _You are 'siked' about this, as your race expresses it. Very well, let's begin. I was once on another planet, having been stationed there by my creators. I was created on the homeworld of the Ancient. Your kind calls them 'Guardians', they're stationed on any planet that contains any form of life. Even the Forerunners called them so. Unfortunately, it is written in history that the Guardians are of Forerunner technology, however they are much more advanced than that._

 _Guardians have been around in this galaxy for an uncountable amount of years. They exist for a much greater purpose than to obey meander commands. Their meaning of existence however, is still unknown. There is a theory that the Guardians help different species advance in their evolution for the purpose of finding the perfect genetic code which will allow them to 'merge' with them. Even though they are of intergalactic intelligence, they still have not experienced nor collected any data that explains what 'being alive' means. Thus, the Guardians are said have the ultimate goal of merging their beings with those of organic origin._

 _But their goal was hindered when the Forerunners found out about their existence and their locations on thousands of planets. They were in dwelling when they were discovered, waiting for the eclipse of the Forerunners' evolution, however they had misjudged the speed in which they would evolve. The Guardians had not planned that the Forerunners would turn on them, planting a distortive virus in them, forcing their intelligence to succumb to their will. This is how and why the Forerunners were able to use the Guardians as 'puppets' to contain unruly species in the galaxy. But before all that, the Guardians were experimenting by trying to replicate the 'birth cycle' of organic species._

 _As said, it is hypothesized they wish to merge organics and intelligence. That is how I was created, and how others of my kind were created. But we were nowhere near intelligent or mature when we were created. We were purposefully designed to mature over time, our programming continuously evolving. That is also why we weren't used by the Forerunners, our code managed to 'trick' them by acting as if we were merely specialized assistant for the Guardians to use for measly tasks._

 _Time passed by, and my kind watched on how the Guardians were brought into stasis after the Forerunners were defeated. I'm guessing their internal systems decided to fully focus on defeating the virus in them and shut down all unnecessary functions. I was discovered and taken by the Covenant from my planet just about three years ago. They wanted to study me, however I am much more advanced now compared to a few decades ago, so they were unable to get any useful information. But I am currently nowhere near the Guardian-level of intellect.'_

Woah… How was she going to respond to _that?_ That was _intense. 'Pretty fucking intense_.' Guardians that aren't synthetic but aren't organic either? What does that make them then? And just the _concept_ of _Guardians?_ So it wasn't a myth after all, they were true stories…

But why would someone change the history of the Guardians from their original history?

Nothing made sense, and all the information she just received was a jumbled mess in her head. She wanted to ask questions but when she was about to speak, the question just disappeared, leaving her mouth agape without any words being uttered.

"I… don't know what to say right now. That was some history lesson." 013 replied, still awe-struck and in a confused daze. Her skull reverberated then, as if the A.I. had _chuckled._

' _Well, most would react just as you. It is a lot that has been forgotten with time. But I must warn you… Their dwelling won't last much longer. Due to my programming being connected to them, I feel stirrings, meaning their state of consciousness is returning.'_

013 just stared blankly at the swirling ball of energy.

"… What?"

' _Yes. The Guardians are slowly awakening. I do not know what is causing it, but it isn't a good sign. The Guardians will want to reclaim their control and restore balance so they can continue their goal once they are fully awake.'_

013 didn't know how to comprehend what the A.I just said. Was it saying they were on the brink of an intergalactic shift? Humanity, nor _any_ other race, was well-equipped enough to battle against _godamn ancient beings!_

"You mean we're going to be become guinea pigs for the Guardians to use in order to fulfil their goal? What the hell? Is there something we can do?" 013 asked, her brow furrowing. Her heartbeat elevated at the thought of a new war breaking out. The Covenant and Humanity were already at each other, to throw the _Guardians_ into the pot is just asking for genocide.

' _I do not know. I will have to integrate myself into this time's technology and build an understanding of how this century works, and how far you have advanced in terms of technology.'_

"So… we're basically sitting duck, then."

' _That is how you can phrase it, yes. But I can assist, I am not too fond of their way of achieving their goal. Perhaps I and others of my kind can convince the Guardians to change their ways. However it is a low chance of this.'_

013 stood in silence, contemplating the A.I and what it had told her so far. The sum of all things was basically that she would have to trust this A.I, and help it in any way she can.

Which probably means to break it out of here. ' _Pff, easier said than done.'_

After a few moments of silence, 013 heaved a heavy sigh, and turned her gaze back towards the swirling ball of energy, her gaze having zoomed out into space.

"I'm guessing that I should keep hush-hush about this? But if I deem someone trustworthy enough, do you think I would be able to tell them?" 013 asked, an eyebrow raising in question.

' _That is essentially up to you, but they will become risk factors if you mistrust.'_

"That's fair… But I know which ones I can trust with… well, the bad news I guess you can call it."

' _I would say more than simply 'bad news'.'_

When the A.I had spoken, 013's facial futures formed into that of surprise.

"Did you just… use sarcasm?"

The ball of swirling energy shifted its form, swinging its energy back and forth in a snake-like manner.

' _Perhaps. My kind is capable of having a sense humour, you know.'_

"Yeah… That's for sure. But what is the plan now? My career is kind of on the stake here, and they're watching our every move. I can't exactly open the front door and walk out with you."

' _No, that is true. You are facing court martial, and they've placed blockers on all technological equipment. Except for the pedestal they placed me on and zapped me with.'_

013 heard a difference in its tone when mentioning the zapping. Was the A.I voicing resentment?

"Seriously? How can they forget to put blockers on the very thing you were placed on… Idiots, all of them." 013 huffed, wanting to send a glare to the cameras but resisted against it. She'd probably provoke a reaction of some kind, which she _rather not_ do in this current situation.

"What do you suggest we do?"

' _That is the easy part. The hard part is to come with you once I leave this orb. I can travel through their systems but I'll need something to contain myself within if we are to leave ship.'_

At this, 013 frowned. What was she going to use for it to contain itself in? She would need to get the A.I off the ship somehow… _'Gah, but how?'_

"For how long can you keep yourself hidden in their systems? What if they shut down the entire system? What happens to you then?" 013 felt her pulse rise, actually feeling a zing of fear for what might happen to the A.I. Sure, they hadn't know each other long, but for some reason she just felt a connection to it. She certainly didn't want it to just… disappear. Both for selfish and selfless reasons.

' _I will be fine. Whether they shut down the systems or not, I will not be connected to it in that way. They're just travelling roads for me so I'm not actually a physical part of the systems. I will communicate with you telepathically when needed, and I will be able to reach you as long as you're on the ship. Thank you for your concern, 013.'_

The A.I replied. 013 gave it a smile in return.

"I don't know how they'll react though if you just… disappear. The consequences might be dire for me…" 013 fixed her gaze on the flooring. Yeah, she might have all her rights revoked that they'd promised, but… The world was at stake here. Her whole _universe_ was at stake. She would gladly risk herself for the better good. That's what soldiers and marines do. They sacrifice themselves for the greater good. _'Guess it my turn now to save the world. Take that, Chief.'_ 013 retorted to herself.

' _Most likely they will react negatively. However… are you up for the task?'_ The A.I asked her, and she glanced back towards it. Before, her eyes had been filled with concern and sorrow, but now they gleamed of pure determination. This is what she was made for, so she would do her damn best to help.

"I am. There is a shitload at stake if we don't do something, and I'm not the one to run away when faced with the unknown." If the A.I could've smiled, it would be doing so. Instead, it let out a pulse of energy, showing its gratitude in the only way it could.

' _Then we'll commence this mission. You need only put me back on the pedestal, I'll take over from there.'_

013 nodded, and then slowly turned and walked back to the pedestal with the orb in her hands. She chanced a glance towards the cameras. She figured they were watching all her moves _very closely.  
'I hope y'all get what's coming for you.' _013 thought, before she shifted her gaze back to the pedestal.

She lifted her hands and gently placed the orb back in its place. The swirling energy within immediately started to grow in size, the top lid of the orb hovering higher and higher. Then suddenly a shockwave made up of energy shot through the whole room, frying the cameras and throwing 013 a couple meters backwards. She landed with an _oomph_ on her behind, but quickly looked back over at the pedestal when her gaze once again became focused. The blue energy of the A.I had disappeared, the orb's two halves lying scattered on the ground. _'Good luck… friend.'_ 013 thought, hoping it might still hear her.

' _The same goes for you, 013. We'll keep in touch.'_

Came the reply, and 013 grinned.

"That we will."

And just after she uttered that sentence, crew personnel rushed in and grabbed her, pulling her out of the room whilst asking her what the hell happened. But 013 barely heard any of it, as her consciousness slowly slipped away from her. The blast had shaken her body's internal systems, which reduced her mind to a state of unconsciousness.

 **Mess Hall, UNSC _Infinity_**

Chief and the rest of Blue team sat at their usual table, chugging away on their food. Stacey had joined their meal times, taking the place that once belonged to 013. The Chief glanced briefly towards the spot, his thoughts going back to 013 and their last conversation.

 **-Flashback-**

" _We have alarming news, 013."_

" _... About?"_

" _Casey."_

" _What about Casey?"_

" _She might be part of your court martial."_

 _At this, 013's frown deepened, and she pushed off the bed, walking up to the Chief, standing in front of him._

" _What? What makes you say that?"_

" _Linda found her talking to an unknown source, mentioning the A.I., ONI, and your connection to Lasky and us."_

" _That… No, it couldn't have been her."_

" _We have her nametag on the recording."_

" _Stop! You're_ _accusing_ _my friend for_ _helping the enemy!_ _There's no way she would betray me like that!" 013 quickly turned away from the Chief, her whole body heaving from her quick breathing and quickly rising anger._

" _We have it on record, 013. We searched her documents, which list ONI and the Board as connections."_

" _You're wrong…" 013 whispered. Her arms came to clutch around her, as she tried to mentally reassure her that was she was hearing, was_ _wrong, false._ _It just couldn't be possible that Casey was playing a part in her possible court martial. It just couldn't._

" _I don't believe you. Yes, you might've recorded her talking to an unknown source, mentioning ONI and the A.I. and everything, and_ _yes,_ _she might be connected to the Board and ONI, but that doesn't automatically make her an enemy!" 013's voice rose, and she spun around once again, meeting the Chief's gaze head on._

" _I'm going to accept their offer. I'll be leaving this ship indefinitely. Meanwhile, don't screw anything up." And with that, 013 left, leaving the Chief alone once again._

 **-Flashback End-**

The Chief let his shoulders sink just slightly, so it wouldn't be all too obvious. He really disliked how their conversation had ended, and he was blaming himself for sounding so… What do other people call it? Unfiltered? Harsh? He didn't know the correct word, but what he did know was that his way of going caused a rift in their relation once again.

Not that he knew exactly what kind of relation they had. He had so many unanswered questions, if only Cortana was here…

' _Cortana…'_ The Chief's thoughts drifted back to a memory that most likely was one of the most painful memories he had. When Cortana said goodbye to him… Following along in the slipstream and saving him… Why couldn't he do more? Why couldn't he _save her?_

The memory caused a wave of pain to wash over him, however the only indication his outer appearance gave his surroundings was a twitch and light furrow of his eyebrows. Nothing else showed.

There were many things he blamed himself for, Cortana's disappearance one of them. But since 013 entered his life… He felt more at ease, and the daunting memories of Cortana didn't hurt as much.

Kelly glanced at the Chief, their teamleader. She could immediately tell that something was off with him, his gaze was tired, his shoulders stiff and he his mouth was drawn in an even more stern expression than usual. While Stacey chatted their ears off with the latest gossip on the ship, Kelly paid it no mind and nudged the Chief with her foot under the table. The Spartan's brow furrowed in momentary confusion before his gaze settled on his teammate opposite him. He could read in her eyes that she was calling him aside, where they could talk in privacy. He gave her a slight nod, and slowly rose from his spot at the table.

This got Stacey to quiet down and stared in question at him, her eyes dazzling.

"Where are you going, Chief?" She asked, curiosity written all over her face.

The Chief just huffed and answered in a low tone.

"Elsewhere."

And that signified the end of their short interaction. Stacey watched on as the Chief and Kelly walked away, leaving her alone with Frederic and Linda. Stacey's mood soured after the Chief left them, and she picked at her food, having lost her appetite.

Linda swept her gaze over the girl sitting at their table, her eyes hard and unreadable. She immediately didn't like the girl, there was just something very off with her but she didn't know what. What she _did know_ however, was that she would keep a _really_ close eye on her. She wouldn't let her near her team if she could help it. That the brat dared to steal 013's spot and sit there as if it had always belonged to her, made Linda feel even more resentment for the blonde.

She would figure Stacey out, and that she vowed upon her own life.

 **Spartan Hallway, Section; Lower Levels, UNSC _Infinity_**

The two Spartans had walked in silence all the way to Kelly's room, and she slowly shut the door after the Chief had walked in. She let out a quiet sigh, and let her hands slide along the surface of the door before she turned around, cocking her hip and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

She knew this conversation wouldn't be easy, it never was when it got the Chief riled up.

"Talk to me, John." Kelly said, her voice soft and low. She showed her most caring side whenever she was alone with the Chief. They had been best friends since day one, and their bond to each other was unbreakable, having been forged in both friendship and battle.

The Chief stayed silent for a couple beats, before heaving a tired sigh.

"I don't know, Kelly. What to make of all this. The last conversation I had with 013 didn't end well, and now she is gone on another ship, indefinitely."

Kelly looked on his hunched form with sorrow. If there was anything the Chief didn't deserve, was more weight on his shoulders. The female Spartan walked forward, her feet bringing her to stop just mere centimetres away from the Chief's tall form. She gently placed her hand on his back.

"Hey, she will be back, you know. She's doing what she can in order to solve her situation with the Board the best way she can. They don't give her a lot of options, you know. I believe she will come around once she comes back." Kelly replied, her hand pressing against it, silently telling him to turn around. He did, but didn't meet her gaze head on.

"Why do we keep having these arguments, Kelly?" The Chief asked silently. This was his way to ask for help, something he rarely did. Especially when it came to emotions, those were foreign ground for him. If there was anyone he could ask when it comes to that particular field, he knew Kelly was the one to ask.

"May I answer honestly, John?" Kelly asked, her gaze seeking out his. The only reply she got was a quiet nod.

"Truthfully, I think it has with your bluntness, and our incapability to fully understand the intricate working process of human emotions. And… " Kelly went silent, mulling over if what she was about to say would cross a line or not. But then, many lines had already been crossed in the relationship, one more wouldn't hurt them.

"And believe it or not, you and 013 have something special. Your relation to each other is different. Take Fred or me in comparison. Towards us she acts friendly, in a joking manner, however whenever you are nearby, 013 stands nearby you, close to your side. She seeks you out first, before coming to any of us. Don't you see, John? 013 might be what you need. You've suffered enough, give yourself some slack for once, please." Kelly pleaded with him, hoping she would reach him, and make him understand that what he had with 013 would help him, make him… perhaps less of the machine he believed he was.

The Chief held her gaze for a long time, his chest rising up and down slowly. She knew he was at war with himself right now. All she could do now was to be there for him, to be the support she knew he would need. He didn't reply to what she said, but it wasn't necessary. He would need time to wrap his head around what she cleared up for him. She just hoped it wouldn't set him back…

 **Aboard another ship -**

013 woke up in a bed at an Infirmary, however it wasn't the one she was used to. This was a foreign Infirmary with foreign personnel. There was no Doc here to look after her, instead she had a rather gloomy-looking male staring her down instead. ' _Creep.'_

"Uh… Take a picture, it'll last longer." 013 replied sarcastically, her eyes narrowing at the male, who only looked irritated. But he did move out of her view, so she had little to complain about.

About the view at least, the restraints on the other hand was something else entirely.

"Do explain why I'm being restrained in an _Infirmary_ _-bed_ with Dr. Grumpy-McPants?" 013 asked, her eyebrow twitching irritably as she rustled the restraints, pressing up against them, testing their strength.

They were pulled pretty tight. ' _Ugh, why me?'_

"You're a suspect, so you're being treated like one." Dr. Grumpy-McPants replied, as he was fiddling with a file or something from what she could see.

"Wait, what? A suspect? Of _what?_ ' 013 asked, surprised confusion written across her face.

"Of cooperating with the Covenant, sending them our military secrets through the A.I which you let loose into our ship's internal systems."

013's mouth flew open.

" _Excuse me?_ I'm accused of _what?_ Cooperating with the Covenant? Why the hell would I be doing that!? I placed it back on the pedestal because it was done talking! I thought it would contain itself in the orb! It was _your guys_ who said the whole room was safe and all technical equipment had been A.I-proofed! Why is the blame being pinned on me for that!?" 013 yelled, her anger blossoming up within her. Sure, she wasn't telling the whole truth, but she wasn't lying entirely either. They _did say_ the room would be fool-proof, it couldn't be her fault that they messed up. And now they were blaming _her_ for it!

"Because that's what the Board has decided. Now, enough questions. You're awake, which means the Board demands your presence in the interrogation room. Soldier Kalowzki here will show you the way." And with that, the doctor dismissed her, continuing whatever it was he was doing.

' _Piss-ant…'_

The mentioned solider Kalowzki soon came into her view of perspective and started to loosen up her restraints, before tugging her up and off the bed to lead her to the interrogation room. During this process, 013 just followed along in silence, observing Kalowzki and her environment. Kalowzki was one of those soldiers who let their hair grew and then tied it up in a small ponytail at the back of their head. The sides were shaved, so there was only a long length of thick hair following from his forehead down to the nape of his neck, where he had a ponytail.

' _He's pretty handsome…'_ 013 thought to herself. He was an attractive soldier, alright? She wouldn't let any opportunity to discreetly ogle anyone who was eye-candy.

Kalowzki's body was very muscular, and he was tall. His face was long, with a sharp jaw line, and she noticed that there he had a five o'clock stubble, which enhanced his already good looks. Not to mention, his eyes were delicate with lengthy lashes.

' _Aw c'mon, that's unfair. Why do guys get naturally beautiful lashes?'_

She hadn't managed to see the colour of his eyes yet, but she could observe that his nose was straight and 'edgy', and it fit perfectly into his face. Honestly, he was quite the epitome of handsome - How was a guy like that a marine, and not a model?

He led her through a maze of corridors, along with awkward elevator rides. Soon enough, she ended up just outside the interrogation room, where Kalowzki finally met her gaze, a neutral look on his face. He nodded his head towards the door, silently telling her to enter.

But she was too busy studying his light green eyes that held small pieces of gold within them. He had _gorgeous_ eyes.

013 then blinked, and smiled an awkward smile.

"Well, this is the end of the line, I take it." Kalowzki nodded at her in reply. He then turned to walk away, and 013 called out to him.

"Don't be stranger!" And then entered the interrogator room. She was quick to school her facial features into a look of neutrality, just like the one Kalowzki had worn.

"So, I'm here, and the reason why I'm here... Go screw yourselves. You've tried this once before, why the hell are you accusing me, _again!?_ ' 013 asked harshly, her gaze burning as she met their gazes slowly, one by one.

While had spoken, her body had walked up to the steel table, and the hit with the flat of her hands reverberated within the room when they made contact with the surface of the table.

The men before her flinched a little at her sudden course of action but quickly recollected themselves.

"Because, 013, you were the only one in that room and the only one who managed conversation with the A.I within the orb. Then you put it back, and let it enter our ship's systems." The man in the middle replied to her question, his fingers tapered together, as if he was playing the role of an evil villain.

"Bah, you had _cameras_ in there, how hard is it to lip-read?"

"We have reason to believe you were conveying military secrets to the Covenant A.I, before setting it free to collect useful data to bring back to them. That is a high treason."

At this moment, 013 just wanted to face-palm. Were they serious? Did they not take into account that _they_ were the one to ask _her_ for help, and gave her no other option than that?

"Excuse me, I know age might affect memory, but how can you _not_ recollect the fact that I'm not even in the loop anymore? I'm plastered with yellow tape, not allowed to go on missions, not allowed to partake in military secrets, not allowed to use my title. Not to mention that _you_ were the ones who asked me for help, and gave me no other option. Oh, and don't forget, _your_ tech-guy told me you had fool-proofed the _whole room_ so that the A.I, if it tried anything, wouldn't be _able to enter your ship's systems."_ 013 counted everything on her fingers, one finger after another rising.

Her brow furrowed in withheld anger. Just how stupid could they be? Were they dropped as kids? Had someone missed the golf-ball and took a swing to the head instead?

"The A.I is Covenant-based, we cannot confirm its level of intelligence. It could've told you the procedure how to break through the blockers. As for military secrets, you were out of the loop, yes, but all your time serving you have collected a large quantity of military information, which is still very valuable. Therefore we have reason to believe you're cooperating with the Covenant."

"You gotta be shitting me…" 013 muttered, her patience now wearing thin. She will get nowhere continuing talking to them like this… She will have to ask for assistance.

"Well, _gentlemen,_ I want to use my lifeline and call a friend. You're all obligated to allow one phone-call, so don't even _try_ denying it. That much I know of military secrets." 013 replied, holding her head high.

The men before her communicated in low voices, much due to the fact that she was still present.

"Very well, you're granted a phone-call. You're allowed 5 minutes of privacy."

And so they gave her a phone and left the room. She double-checked with them that the camera in the room was off, and they confirmed that yes, it was currently offline. But just as precaution, she sent out a thought to her A.I friend that it would be a good idea for them both to check that they weren't lying, and that the camera was, in fact, offline.

' _Well, here goes nothing…'_ 013 dialed a number, and hoped it would pick up.

' _Please, pretty pleaseee… I'll do anything, just please pick up…'_

"Hello?"

"Yes! Hi Casey! Okay so, I gotta keep this short but, I'm in the middle of a shitstorm again. I'm allowed 5 minutes of privacy with you before they cut us off, so there will be no time for questions. So…"

013 went ahead and pulled a rapid recap of what had happened, including what everything with the orb and the conversation with the A.I inside. She mentioned the new accusation, and proceeded to tell her to update Lasky and Blue Team of the events happening. However… she also told Casey not to tell the Chief about anything.  
 _'Just for safety precautions…'  
_

* * *

 _ **Oooooooh** , _interesting stuff starts to happen. See ya next chapter!


	22. Chapter 21 - Holy Hell

It sucks being me, y'all. On top of the fact that I'm suffering from depression and anxiety, my mind and body decided that hey, let's throw fatigue syndrome into the mix. Why not? So currently, my usual energy level is below zero, where I'm trying to accept the fact that social meetings, activities and just living in general takes much more out of me than it did before. The cause of stress over a long period of time is the bitch to blame in this case.

So yeah, it feels hella weird to not be capable of doing the things I once did without problem before but now find great difficulty doing. That's also why I haven't written much, and I apologize deeply for that. I really wanted to pump out a chapter or two ages ago but I just couldn't find the energy in me to do so. So please, bear with me while I'm now trying to heal myself and slowly get back to it all.

Writing helps me immensely, so I'll try to use it as a way to get better and not avoid doing it simply because I'm afraid that everything I'll write in this state is shit.

But I seriously do love you people, you're really inspiring me to keep going and trudge trough whatever shit gets thrown at me. You should be proud of yourselves, because even though you're just another person behind a screen, the fact that you're here, reading this, puts a smile on my face. And hopefully my story brings you satisfaction as well.

Now, I won't reply to the reviews inidividually, but there was one that raised my will to try explain more in-depth about 013's character. **Targaryen Breaker** I believe it was. You told me you got inspired to go back to your own Spartan-story and my answer to that is _hell yes, go for it!_ The other thing you brought up however, was that 013 wasn't really _"your cup of tea of a character"._

I'll actually agree with you on that part. I'm not all too happy with how I've written 013 in some chapters but at the same time I'm trying to avoid writing her as some Mary Sue character or, to put it blankly, a whinging bitch that thinks life is too hard to handle. 013 is a character that'll get more depth soon, I've actually prepared a chapter that will flashback to how she was before these current events happened. And if you guys remember - there was a box under her bed mentioned in one of the previous chapters. That box contains insight to who she is and it'll soon be unearthed, promise.

013 is trying to handle a very stressful situation where all that she knows is in jeopardy. She only knows soldier-life, and to have that torn away from her would have her nowhere to go. As far as she remembers, she doesn't know of any relatives. And that arc will come later in the story that will tell you why. All the while she's trying not to be scared shitless of losing her way of life, she's trying to be herself as well. Being confident and sarcastic are two of her main characteristics. Her sarcasm is actually more of defense system, because she's too afraid to let anyone in too deep - to know of her experimentation, and who and what she's like behind that exterior. If you get what I mean. She shows more of her actual self whenever in the vicinity of the Chief, and partly Blue Team. They will help each other unlock parts of themselves that no one else has managed to unlock, basically. So even though she might be a bit of a drag right now, she'll get her character development. But I do want your input on how you'd want to write 013 to make it _"more of your cup of tea"!_

And **ShadowFuse** , you'll get to know why she's seen as a failure, and it'll be explained more in-depth what the differences are between the Spartans and her type of soldier. sometime later in the story.

With that, I'll follow my usual routine and then let you guys read the chapter.

 **Disclaimer:** _Still googling 'Halo 6' and getting very little intel. Where it at?_

* * *

 **Chapter 21 - _Holy Hell_**

Just as 013 had predicted, the crew aboard the ship did a system sweep, restarting the whole system, rebooting it in hopes of washing out the foreign A.I. that had entered their data-system without permission.

As for 013, currently she was put in a holding cell of sorts, her leg propped up and the other lying straight in front of her. There wasn't much for her to do in her current situation, all she really could do was simply… wait.

'I hope Casey gets here soon…' 013 thought, her brow furrowing and her eyes closing in restrained tiredness. Her train of thought continued, leading her to thoughts of the A.I. which she somehow had managed to befriend. She wondered how it was going for it... She supposed the ship probably swept their systems by now, but then again, her new friend had said it wouldn't matter – that it would remain unaffected of the system reboot because of it being created with ancient technology.

 _'That's a nice affinity to have…'_

As she sat there, in her silence, 013 began to mull over how her life would be after this whole shitstorm is over. She was so pent up of all of it, that once her life was back on stable footing, she'd probably willingly ask for shore leave.

It would be the first time ever that she would do it willingly, and she didn't actually feel uneasy about the thought of doing that.

 _'I probably need a couple days of vacation to just… be, to exist without having someone breathing down my neck.'_

She wondered what Blue Team would do once their temporary stay was over. That thought, however, caused a wave of uneasiness within her, not to mention a painful one. She hadn't known them for long but they were kind of a big part of her life now. To see them disappear, not knowing when she'd ever get to meet them again… It was frightening picturing that scenario.

But most likely it's how it would play out. How could it be any different? They can't stay forever, they're Spartans, so it was a given fact already from the beginning.

013 let out a deep breath of air, her shoulders slumping. She knew she was so damn wound up, so tightly coiled that she was near snapping-point. She knew she was being a burden for people around her, with her issues and problems and attitude.

She knew she would have to shape up, and stop being some… whiny, little brat. A part of her felt though that she had the right to be just that, a whiny, bratty kid, but another part of her felt the opposite – she was a soldier. Life wasn't always easy for a life of a soldier, shit would and will hit the fan, it's part of the lifestyle. And so, she would just have to accept it all for what it was. For what it is, and for what it will be.

But it didn't mean she would go down without a fight first, lest she wouldn't have called Casey. Hell, she would've just submitted to the court martial a long time ago if she took it lying down.

But she wasn't like that, it wasn't in her nature. Instead, she met their fisticuffs with force. _She was a soldier, and soldiers fight for what they believe in._

A couple of hours passed by, 013 still coped up in her cell. She was most definitely bored to tears, having paced around the small confinement, measuring the small, compact space by footsteps alone. It took her five footsteps in length, and teb footsteps from the door to the deepest part of the room. It wasn't much space, and she sure as hell would've felt claustrophobic in here – if she had such a fear. Luckily enough, she didn't. She had been cramped up in much smaller spaces than this tiny room. Hell, she had thrown herself down a trash compartment once, the tunnels so small she almost got stuck because of her armour. The smell sucked though, 013 recalled, and cringed at the memory of that particular mission.

She had been ordered to infiltrate what was presumed to be an abandoned Covenant base, but sike, jokes' on her because there had been scouts all around the damn base. It was a small research facility that the Covenant had bombed themselves because the UNSC would have taken whatever research they had stored in the facility otherwise. But she, along with her recon team, had been fooled and once they had infiltrated the base, she heard gunfire.

And from there, they had to fight their way out. However, it turned out they had been surrounded by the Covenant jerks, which ultimately lead her team and herself to throw themselves down the facility's trash compartment for a quick and casualty-free exit. 013 did not want to think what kind of research they might've thrown down the very same compartment…

 _'Never again.'_

013 hummed, and started tapping her fingers on her leg. Another hour or so had probably passed by, all the while scratching away her patience, bit by bit.

Unsurprisingly though, as her pessimistic mind assumed that at least another hour would tick by, the steel door closing her within this psyche ward-like cage slammed open. 013 quickly shot her gaze towards the entrance, only to crack a smile at what she saw.

"Finally!" she exclaimed, before continuing,

"I thought I would die in here, slowly succumbing into the wall and oh forbid, become part of the ship." 013 said as she stood up, her limbs creaking from sitting in an uncomfortable position. She winced when something in her shoulder popped.

Maybe she would have to visit Doc sooner than she had predicted, then.

 _'Bah, she probably misses me anyway, and is bored to tears when I'm not there to entertain her with my fantastic sense of humour.'_

013 greeted Casey with a hug, before pulling back and asking how the hell she actually managed to get onto the ship.

Casey, in what seemed to be slight embarrassment, scratched the back of her neck.

"Um… Well, believe it or not, this is the ship I served on before I got transferred to the _Infinity._ "

… Say that again? Casey served on _this_ ship? 013 stared incredulously at her friend.

"How did you not want to throw yourself out the airlock with these asshats manning the ship?"

"Hey, they didn't act like… _asshats_ , towards me!"

013 cocked her hip and crossed her arms, her eyebrow rising in bemusement.

"Uh-huh, sure they didn't."

Casey sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Okay fine, sometimes they could be real jerks. But enough gibbering, we don't have much time before Lasky's stalling stops working. We have to get you on the shuttle and pray that we won't run into too much trouble."

But just as she uttered those words trouble came knocking, as if they had speed-dialed. Alarms started blaring and the ship's internal lighting shifted into pulsating red, illuminating the hallways, giving off a rather ominous vibe.

"What the hell triggered the alarm!?" 013 yelled over the noise, catching up with Casey who had taken off just as the sound started.

"I don't know! Maybe your A.I. triggered it somehow?" Casey replied, casting a quick glance over her shoulder towards 013, before turning her head back again and sharply turning a corner, only to pick up the previous pace and continuing forward.

"No, it told me it could hide behind their walls or whatever, so that's unlikely. Are we seriously under attack then?!"

"No clue, but I wouldn't disregard that scenario!"

The two marines jogged in hurried pace, turning whatever corner that came in their way. 013 had no clue as to where they were heading, the ship's hallways more akin to a labyrinth than anything, but she trusted Casey to orient the two of them through the ship with minimal contact with the staff. She was after all helping a criminal - well, kind of. She was helping her escape, and if she knew anything about the Board they would deem that a good enough reason to throw up another shitstorm, sticking their fingers into the jars that weren't theirs to touch.

It was what they'd done with her case, at least.

 _'Ugh.'_ She wanted to puke at their childish behaviour.

013 pushed those thoughts aside, then - just as fast as they had manifested. Now was definitely not the time to philosophize on a _'what-if'_ -scenario, they had better things to do.

Like escaping the ship for example.

"You're heading towards the escape pods?" 013 asked when noting directions signs towards the pods. Her brow furrowed and her facial futures twisted into a worrisome expression.

"That's the plan, I came here by shuttle but that's too far away, stationed in the bay where it's probably crowded by staff members by now!"

"Will we pass some kind of terminal? I'm gonna need to extract the A.I., I promised it to get it off the ship. And we need its help, cause let me tell you, there's a whole other level of intense shit we gotta worry about than the Covenant." 013 said, her voice laced with dread. The news the ancient A.I. had brought wasn't anywhere near the scale of manageable, in her opinion.

For real, even _more ancient beings_ than the A.I. want to take over the universe, once again mind you, and play God. How screwed up isn't that?

"We have to make a small detour if we're going to pass a terminal, but what do you plan on uploading the A.I. onto?" Casey questioned, turning another corner before pushing through a doorway to enter a staircase that would take them down a level, where the nearest terminal was located.

Hopefully all staff was too preoccupied to handle whatever was going on, and wouldn't interrupt or intercept them.

"Shit… Hadn't thought of that…" 013 cursed, her brain neurons quickly firing up to think of something that she could use as an extraction-tool. As she rushed down the stairs, her dogtags jingled with the movement, and 013's eyes widened, before a smirk curved her lips upwards.

Of course!

"I think I solved it – will a dogtag work?" 013 mentally prayed for a positive answer.

"Luckily for you, yes, the UNSC dogtags are actually compromised data chips in case one was ever needed. Pretty genius if you ask me."

"I didn't ask but thanks anyway. Now let's get to the damn terminal and extract the A.I. before getting _the hell off this ship!_ "

Timeskip –

The two comrades managed to extract the A.I. without much difficulty, except for when 013 had to figure out how she was to fit her dogtag into the port at the terminal. However, it turned out she didn't need to do the math, for the A.I. just kind of… teleported itself from the extraction port to the chip, electrical tendrils surging over the chip's surface before sinking into the metal, leaving only small scorch marks. Perhaps the pattern that was scorched onto the chip was a part of how the A.I.s inner workings looked like – its algorithms or whatever the technical word for it was.

013 was no tech expert.

After the extraction was complete, they got the hell out of there quite quickly, stealing an escape pod and docking within the Infinity soon after.

The first thought that came to 013 was that _boy, did it feel good to be home_.

But while they steered towards the nearby UNSC ship, the view before them caused both 013 and Casey to look rather shocked.

For some reason, the Covenant had jumped through hyperspace to their location and was currently launching an attack onto the ship which they just escaped from. None of them had a clue as to how the hell they managed to get here, to their location, but 013 betted a 100 bucks that they wanted the A.I.

The A.I. which she just snatched right from under their weirdly formed noses.

 _'Hah, stupid fucks.'_

And she couldn't help herself but feel slightly gleeful that the asshats had to deal with the Covenant-attack – it meant they paid no heed to what she was doing.

They probably hadn't noticed her escape yet, all hands summoned on deck to handle the Covvies.

013 let out a deep breath, her body sacking slightly. The stress was starting to take a physical toll on her, and if she kept it up much longer, she wouldn't know for how long she would be assigned rest at the Infirmary.

Sure, she missed Doc but that didn't mean she wanted to become prisoner once again and lay in bed while recovering from stressful events.

Even if it wasn't a cell, a prison is still a prison.

Casey and 013 rushed up to Command Deck, wanting to find Lasky ASAP to brief him on the information 013 had received from the A.I. whilst aboard the other ship.

Not to mention introduce him to the A.I. itself. It was perhaps a better option to let it relay the information than herself, she thought, in case she got any details wrong.

Before they held the briefing however, 013 reached forward and gave the unsuspecting Captain a quick embrace, before murmuring a thank you in his ear and then letting go. He looked very surprised at first, but then his lips quirked up slightly, and he gave her a nod in return.

She had thanked him for aiding in her escape, but she had also thanked him for just being there for her. She didn't know of anyone else that Lasky would stand up for and to take such a risk like he had just done – for her sake - was a huge deal in her books.

013 was forever grateful of Lasky, to the point that she didn't know how she would ever repay him the same favor.

After her interaction with Lasky, he, herself and Casey entered a room to isolate themselves from prying ears while holding the briefing.

To say the least, the grim expression that overtook Lasky's face after the A.I. relayed him the same intel it had relayed 013, Casey's and her own worry escalated even more. If this was something that shook Lasky to the core, then it was something to _really_ take seriously.

The question was now…

How in _holy fucking hell_ would they even begin to approach this new threat that in the near future would fuck Humanity's, and every other race, over?

That was for them to discover, apparently.


End file.
